


Twins of Fates

by kaj13



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Heartbreaking, Mental Health Issues, My First Fanfic, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Twins, War, but i'll at least follow my current schedule, i might spontaneously post at other times, new update schedule: 1st of each month
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2019-10-06 03:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 65,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17338061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaj13/pseuds/kaj13
Summary: Princess Kamui and Prince Corrin have been isolated in the Northern Fortress of Nohr for most of their lives, but when they are finally set free from their prison, the twins find themselves entangled in the conflict between Nohr and Hoshido.(Or: What if there were two avatars, and one chose Nohr and the other chose Hoshido?)





	1. Dreams and Training

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, so I'm still testing the waters. I've enjoyed working on this and I hope others enjoy it as well. 
> 
> Just a disclaimer: I use some canon dialogue from the games. Obviously, that isn't my own work, so the credit doesn't go to me. There will be less canon dialogue in later chapters.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Kamui and Corrin had lived in the Northern Fortress as long as they could remember. The twins had been brought there after suffering a terrible illness that had taken most of their early childhood memories. Their father, King Garon of Nohr, had sent them to the Northern Fortress to recover from their illness. That had happened when they were seven years old. They still remained there in isolation after their twentieth birthday.

They didn't live in complete isolation, though their interactions with other people were limited. In addition to the fortress servants, the brother and sister enjoyed visits from their half siblings- Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise. The six of them had the same father, but different mothers, except for Kamui and Corrin, who were twins. Neither Corrin nor Kamui had any recollection of their mother, and their father refused to talk about her. They rarely heard anything about their siblings' mothers, who were all deceased. Since their father was occupied running the kingdom, the royal children only had each other for family.

Kamui, the older twin, was not as physically strong as her brother, but her strength lay in her magical abilities. As Garon had ordered, she was trained in swordplay by Xander, but she threw her passion into magic training with Leo. Corrin, on the other hand, put all of his energy into mastering the sword. He was strong and healthy, but not very fast in combat. He tended to favor endurance over speed. Both siblings had light gray hair, ruby red irises, and pointed ears. They didn't physically resemble anyone else in the Nohrian royal family, so they just assumed that they took after their mysterious mother.

One night, a few weeks after his birthday, Corrin had a strange dream. When Flora and Felicia finally got him out of bed the next morning, he couldn't shake how vivid the dream had seemed. He mentioned it in passing to the maids, but he didn't have time to dwell on it, since he had sword training with Xander at the crack of dawn. Why they couldn't wait a few more hours to start the day, he didn't know. Probably Xander just wanted to make his younger brother suffer. At least Kamui also had to get up; she was less of a morning person than he was. At least he wouldn't be the only one annoyed with the early hour.

When Corrin arrived at the landing, Xander and Leo were already waiting for him.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Xander greeted him.

Corrin yawned. "Morning."

Kamui was only a few minutes behind Corrin. Her long hair was untamed, and her eyes were still sleepy.

"Corrin, there's something we need to talk about," Kamui told him.

Xander spoke up. "It can wait, little princess. Corrin needs to do his training now."

"But, it's about the dream you had," Kamui blurted out. "I told Felicia and Flora about a dream I had, and they told me that you mentioned something similar. If we had the same dream, it might be really important!" Her eyes were wide and earnest.

Corrin frowned. He hadn't expected her to say that. "What was your dream about, Kamui?"

"It was really weird. We were at a grassy field, and I think there were Hoshidans there."

"Hoshidans?" Leo asked. Of course, Kamui had captivated the attention of all of her brothers.

Kamui nodded. "And this is the weird part: the Hoshidans seemed to think they were our siblings. And Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise were there as well. Everyone was arguing about who we were related to. I don't remember much else, sadly." Her brow furrowed with worry.

Chills ran down Corrin's spine. He was speechless. That was exactly what his dream had been as well.

Xander and Leo exchanged a knowing look. What did that mean?

"Well, say something!" Kamui demanded, breaking the silence.

Corrin swallowed. "You're not just saying what the servants told you, are you? That was really your dream, right?"

Kamui nodded.

Xander coughed. "Kamui, I suggest you continue this discussion with Corrin later, when he's not supposed to be training."

Kamui frowned. "But this is important!" she whined.

Leo put his hand on his sister's shoulder and steered her away from the training area. "Kamui, you should probably warm up for your own training with Xander."  
Kamui pulled away. "Stop trying to distract me," she grumbled. But she followed him to the side.

Corrin knew that not knowing about his dream would drive Kamui mad. "Kamui!" he called out to her. "I had the same dream." He could at least tell her that for now.

She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide. "Okay." Her eyes darted to Xander. "We'll talk after training."

Corrin couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that there was more to the situation than they knew. Was it just some weird connection they had because they were twins? It definitely was not a coincidence.

Xander rested his hand on Corrin shoulder, pulling him out of his musing. "Are you ready, little prince?"

Corrin glanced at Xander and nodded.

"Then let us begin," Xander announced.

Of course, Xander beat him with ease during their first match.

Leo smirked. "That's our brother for you. You won't beat the strongest knight in Nohr by sleeping all day, Corrin!"

Xander was not impressed by Corrin's lack of skill. "Giving up so soon, Corrin? I expect more of you. You are a prince of Nohr! Pick up your sword and try again."

"But, Xander, I-"

Xander interrupted Corrin's complaint. "We train like this so that we can defend ourselves from our enemies. Father has been tracking your progress. If you can't land a hit on me today… he may never permit you to leave the Northern Fortress. Ever. The same goes for you, Kamui."

Kamui gasped from where she watched. "What?! D-did he really say that? That's insane!"

Xander addressed both of the twins. "Motivated, are we? Then use that fire to best me in battle. If you would see the outside world beyond the view from your window, defeat me. Prove that all of the time I've devoted to training you has not been in vain!"

Kamui frowned, clearly not pleased with the prospect. She really didn't enjoy training with the sword.

Corrin would just have to set the example. He gripped his sword and got into a starting stance. The duel was difficult, but he managed to defeat Xander in the end.

"Well done, little prince," Xander praised him. "Little princess, it's your turn now!"

Kamui approached the training area with trepidation; she still wasn't very comfortable using a sword. Corrin shot her a reassuring smile. "You've got this!"

Kamui gave him a weak smile in return. "Thanks," she mouthed.

Kamui's duel with Xander went better than usual. Xander got in several hard hits, but in the end, Kamui somehow managed to win the duel. Xander was probably going easy on her, but there was no way Corrin would ever voice that thought.

Corrin grinned and gave her a hug. "Great job, Sis! You were incredible."

Kamui tried to hide her smile. "Thanks. I still have a lot to learn, though."

Xander put a hand on Kamui's shoulder. "You most certainly do, but I believe you have natural talent, even if you don't train as much with the sword as you do with tomes."

Kamui flushed. Leo, of course, stepped in to defend the value of magic. "Typical," he commented. "You have that true strength is more than simple swordplay, right?"

Corrin knew that what Xander said was not a jab at magic. "Leo, he didn't mean-"

Xander interrupted him. "Calm yourself, little brother. I know magic is just as formidable as swordsmanship. Just remember that Father did order Kamui and Corrin to be trained with the sword."

Leo looked slightly appeased by Xander's defense. "Hm. Well, just remember that pointy metal sticks are not the only path to power."

Kamui's crimson eyes sparkled mischievously. Corrin braced himself for whatever tease was coming his way. She directed her comment to Leo, though. "Oh, that reminds me of something I've been meaning to tell you, Leo."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Something important enough to derail this conversation?"

Kamui's grin widened. Oh, she definitely was up to no good. "Well… your collar is inside out."

"What?!" Leo squawked.

Xander, Kamui, and Corrin burst into laughter. Corrin had not noticed, but of course Kamui would.

"It would appear someone got dressed while still half-asleep," Xander commented.

Leo ran off, probably to fix his collar. "Ugh! Wh-why didn't you say something earlier?!" he moaned.

Kamui shrugged. "I forgot. That and your reaction was perfect."

Xander laughed. "Haha, sorry, Leo. But that sort of thing is what makes you so lovable."

"Absolutely," Corrin agreed. Their little brother was a genius, but Corrin was always amused by the simple mistakes he made.

"Hmph…" Leo grumbled from wherever he was hiding. He rejoined his siblings just when Camilla and Elise arrived.

Camilla dashed over to Kamui, the more fragile sibling. "Are you all right, Kamui? Did you get hurt at all during practice? If you did, let me know right away so I can take extra-special care of you…"

Kamui smiled, but Corrin could still see a hint of pain in her eyes. "I'm perfectly fine, Camilla. As always, thanks for your concern."

Camilla turned her attention to Corrin now. "And, Corrin, are you hurt at all? Elise and I are here to make it all better." Sometimes she really did treat him like he was still seven.

Corrin shook his head. "I'm fine. No wounds on me today." At least no serious wounds.

Elise turned her attention to Corrin. "I was worried about you too, Corrin!"

Corrin smiled at her concern. "I know, Elise. You wouldn't visit us all the time if you didn't care so much, right?"

Elise giggled, and Corrin felt more peaceful and lighter. "Do you like it when I visit?"

Corrin chuckled. What a pointless question. "Of course! I'm not allowed to leave this fortress, so visits are all I look forward to!"

Elise was overjoyed at hearing that. "Yay! I'm glad to hear that. Spending time with you makes me so happy!" She tackled him in one of her infamous bear hugs and spun him in a circle.

Corrin was unprepared for the display of affection and grunted.

Elise practically danced around him. "I love you so much! I love you more than anything in the whole, wide world!"

Kamui pouted, though Corrin knew it was in jest. "And what about me, Elise? Don't you love me, too?"

Elise threw herself into Kamui's arms. "Oh, I love you, too, Big Sister! I've missed you so much!"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Elise, when do you intend to behave like the adult that you technically are?" Elise had turned sixteen that year, but she still had a lot of growing up to do.

Camilla defended Elise's bright disposition. "Well, I for one think her cheer is a good complement to this gloomy kingdom, Leo."

Kamui patted Elise's blonde hair. "Well said, Camilla. Every one of you is so important to me. You've all been so patient and kind since Corrin and I came here… I don't even mind being quarantined when I'm with you. I'm so grateful to have you all." Her bright smile was infectious.

Corrin found himself smiling as well. "Agreed! I think I'd go crazy if I only had Kamui for company." Although he'd probably go crazy without her.

Kamui shot him a dirty look.

Xander ignored Corrin's snide remark. "We are grateful to have you as well. But, Corrin, Kamui, I have some-"

Camilla cut in excitedly. "Let me tell them, Xander! We have wonderful news! Father asked us to take you back to the capital!"

Corrin was speechless. Did that mean…

Kamui actually gasped. "Really?! Does that mean…"

Camilla was practically bouncing from her enthusiasm. "Yes. It means you can finally leave this drafty fortress. You must have been so lonely all this time, separated from the rest of the world… But now you'll be free!"

Elise squealed. "Isn't that wonderful?!"

Corrin was still at a loss for words, but Kamui couldn't keep her emotions in check, as usual. "It… it really is." She sniffled and wiped at her sudden tears. "Thanks, Elise. Wow… We're finally leaving this place, Corrin!" She dashed over and wrapped her twin brother in a tight embrace.

Corrin hugged her back and finally found words to speak. "Yes. Maybe now we can join you all as soldiers, fighting for Nohr?" He directed his question mostly to Xander.

Kamui stiffened in his arms. Corrin knew she wasn't looking forward to actual combat, but he for one wanted to do his part for his country.

"There will be plenty of time to discuss the details with Father. Let us depart," Xander said.

* * *

 

Corrin found a spare moment while they were packing to speak to Kamui privately.

"So, Kamui, about that dream-" he began.

She glanced at him. "Yes?" She tilted her head, something she tended to do when she was curious about something.

"What do you think it means?" Corrin asked. Kamui was more studious than him, so he figured she'd be more likely to think of something.

Kamui pursed her lips. "Hm. Well, I was wondering if it could be a premonition or something. But I don't know enough about that, but maybe Leo would know. Speaking of, I thought Xander and Leo's reaction to what I said was a little off, like they know something that we don't know." She frowned. "But they haven't kept secrets from us before."

Corrin rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's fine; we're probably just overanalyzing what happened," he said to calm himself as well as his twin.

Kamui's eyes were narrowed like when she was trying to think of a solution to a problem. "Perhaps." She didn't sound so sure of that though.

Corrin changed the subject. "So how do you really feel about leaving the fortress?"

His sister's eyes grew a little sad. "I don't know… I feel a lot of things right now. I'm excited and relieved we're finally free of this place. But…" she trailed off.

"But what?"

Kamui bit her bottom lip. "But the fortress has been our home for so long. I have so many memories of this place. I never thought I'd actually miss it." She covered her mouth as she realized she'd said more than she intended to.

Corrin chuckled. "You would, Sister. Me, I'm glad I can finally go do something and make a change in the world. I want to help protect people, and now I'll have that chance."

Kamui smiled. "You're going to help so many people, Corrin. I'm so proud of you! And I'll be there to help you along the way."

"Thanks, Kamui. That means a lot to me." Whatever Corrin had gone through in his life, he always had Kamui there by his side. He appreciated her support and her faith in him. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kamui laughed. "Thanks. I'm sure you'd be fine, though. But you're stuck with me for now, so we won't have to find out."

Corrin hoped her words were true, but he couldn't stop the sinking feeling in his stomach. He wanted to be optimistic, but he had the foreboding feeling that they would be separated in the near future. He just hoped they'd both get through the trials coming their way.


	2. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elise is overjoyed to have her older siblings finally come home, but things don't go as well as she'd hoped.

Elise was so excited to show Kamui and Corrin their home at Castle Krakenburg. She rode her brown mare between the twins on the one hour journey to the castle. Corrin rode on her left on his dappled gray stallion, and Kamui rode on her right on her black mare. Both were completely new to horseback riding, since they hadn't ever left that fortress, but they seemed to be doing all right.

Elise couldn't help but tell them everything that she planned to do with them. This was going to be so much fun!

"So, Kamui! Camilla and I have tons of dresses picked out that will look adorable on you! You're going to have so much fun at your first ball! Oh! And the men are going to adore you! Maybe you'll meet the love of your life there." Elise beamed at the thought of her dear sister falling in love.

Kamui's face was bright red. "Elise, you flatter me," she laughed nervously. "But I doubt that will happen any time soon."

Elise was sad that she didn't have confidence in herself. She'd just have to fix that! "Aw, Big Sister, you are so sweet and amazing. I just know someone is going to fall head over heels for you!"

Kamui grew even more flustered. Poor girl. "E-Elise! I think it's a little too soon to be thinking about _that_."

Elise looked at their other siblings and realized that Kamui wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the thought of her being courted. The three brothers had varying expressions of disapproval on their faces. Camilla's lips were turned down in a frown, and her brow was creased with worry. Did none of them want Kamui to be happily married?!

Camilla shook her head. "Yes, dear Kamui. You're still much too young for marriage."

"M-marriage?!" Kamui sputtered. She averted her eyes from everyone. "Please, can we talk about something else?"

Elise turned her attention to Corrin. "Well, maybe Corrin will meet a special lady soon."

Corrin tried to hide his blush behind his hand. "Elise! Don't tease me like that."

Both of them didn't like the thought of meeting their true love? That made Elise sad. "Aw. I think it would be wonderful if you guys got married. Then I'd have even more siblings!"

"Elise, if anyone is getting married soon, it would be Xander," Leo pointed out.

"Oh! Do you know something I don't know, Leo?" Elise perked up at the thought. "Xander, are you seeing someone secretly?"

Xander just laughed, not seeming flustered by the question. "Not at the moment, Little Sister."

"My, my, Elise. I didn't know you were so interested in matchmaking," Camilla commented.

"It sounds like someone has been reading too many romance novels lately," Xander added.

Elise shrugged. So what if she read romance novels? It didn't hurt to dream, right?

Corrin cleared his throat. "So what can we expect when we arrive at the castle?"

"We'll meet Father first, probably in the throne room. Then, we'll have to see from there," Xander answered.

"If there's time, I want to give both of you a tour of the castle," Camilla added. "There's so much I've been waiting to show you!"

Kamui perked up. "Oh, Leo? Could you show me the library?"

Leo smiled; he loved the library more than anyone else Elise knew. "Of course, Sister. And Corrin should join us. It would do you good to enhance your studies."

Corrin wasn't as enthusiastic as Kamui was about the library. "Ha. Well, I'll think about it, Brother. I personally look forward to using the training facilities."

Xander was pleased with that comment. "You'll improve by leaps and bounds, little prince. And you should continue training as well, little princess."

Kamui laughed. "We're going to be so busy, aren't we? I'm so happy that I'll get to spend more time with all of you."

"Me too! We're going to have the best time ever!" Elise gushed. The day had finally come that Kamui and Corrin would come home, and Elise couldn't be happier.

* * *

 

Castle Krakenburg towered above the family. Elise remembered how its dark spires had frightened her as a child. She felt like she was entering a fortress of some dark mage in a fairytale. Well, Father could use dark magic, so it was sort of true. It was home, though, and Elise felt comfortable there.

She focused more on her siblings' reactions to seeing the castle for the first time. Both Kamui and Corrin's red eyes were wide with wonder, as if they couldn't take in all of the details. Elise hoped they weren't too overwhelmed; this was their true home, after all.

After leaving their horses at the stables, the group made their way to the throne room. Corrin and Kamui lagged behind as they crossed one of the longer bridges. They spoke quietly with each other. Elise worried that they felt apprehensive about coming home.

"Big brother! Big sister! Come on!" she called back to them.

 "We're coming, Elise," Kamui replied.

"Race me?" Corrin asked her, smirking. He started running before Kamui could answer.

"No fair! You got a head start," Kamui huffed. She jogged to catch up. "This place is huge. How much farther until we reach the throne room?"

"Soon, little princess," Xander answered.

As he said, they entered the throne room within a few minutes. Father sat on his big black throne and watched his children enter the room with his dark eyes.

Father stood. "I see you made it here safely, Kamui and Corrin."

Corrin nodded. "Yes, Father."

"We've waited a long time to see you and visit Castle Krakenburg again," Kamui added. "I feel like I'm dreaming…" Her eyes wandered around the room, taking in all of the details.

"It is only thanks to your diligence that you are here," Father continued. "I am told you are now warriors almost on par with Xander. You finally possess the strength to be instruments of Nohr's power in the world."

Elise knew that Corrin had looked forward to this moment for years; he nodded calmly at Father's pronouncement. Kamui, on the other hand, looked a little pale. They had both heard stories of the things Father ordered their siblings to do. Would they be ready to carry out Father's missions?

"But, Father, will they be all right outside of the fortress?" Elise worried out loud.

Camilla stepped forward. "I worry about that as well. Isn't it dangerous for Kamui and Corrin to live outside the fortress's magical barrier?"

Corrin turned to his sisters. "I appreciate your concern, but I earned my way here and I'm ready to fight."

"We'll be fine, Sisters," Kamui promised. She exchanged a knowing look with Leo. Maybe they'd been researching it together.

Father just ignored their concerns. "Corrin, Kamui, as you know, Nohr is at war with the eastern kingdom of Hoshido."

Both of the twins nodded. "Yes, Father. We have heard as much," Corrin said.

Father continued on to ramble about how the royals were descendants of the First Dragons and how powerful they could become. Elise had heard this enough times. Father had kind of given up on making Elise an elite warrior, however. She was a little sad that she wasn't as strong as her siblings, but her passion was in healing, not killing. That was as important in combat as being able to take out their foes.

Father gifted Corrin and Kamui new weapons. Corrin received a magical sword from another world, called Ganglari. Father gave a silvery sword to Kamui. Kamui looked a little crestfallen that she didn't get a magical sword like Corrin. Father had always tended to give the better weapons to his sons. Camilla had received an axe and Elise had her staff, nothing like the divine weapons that Xander and Leo carried.

"Now, let us see you put those swords to their proper use… Bring out the prisoners!" Father ordered.

"Prisoners?" Kamui asked. Elise was worried as well. Would Father make them kill people this soon after coming home?

The guards brought out a few Hoshidan prisoners. There were four in total. One was a red-headed woman, and the others appeared to be ninja.

"These are prisoners from our most recent skirmish with Hoshido. I want to see your power with my own eyes. Use that sword to strike them down," Father commanded.

Oh dear. Elise hated watching her other siblings defeat enemies in combat, but it was terrible seeing the twins do so as well. Kamui and Corrin were two of the kindest people she knew. They shouldn't be forced to resort to violence. At least their retainers- Gunter, Felicia, and Jakob- joined them in combat.

The female prisoner introduced herself proudly. "I am Rinkah! Daughter of the Flame Tribe's honorable chieftain. What are your names, Nohrian royals?"

Corrin and Kamui gave their names.

The ninja with moss-colored hair gasped. "Kamui and Corrin… Can it be?"

Elise held her breath. He knew. He knew the secret about the twins. Elise felt her heart pound in her chest. Would Kamui and Corrin learn the truth of their heritage here and now? It didn't matter to Elise; she loved them anyway. But what would knowing the truth do to her siblings?

Kamui frowned; she was definitely suspicious.

Corrin was simply confused. "Huh? Have you heard of us?"

To Elise's relief, the ninja did not mention how he knew of them. "I am Kaze, a ninja of Hoshido. Show me what you can do."

"Kill them all," Father ordered.

Kamui quickly noticed a Dragon Vein and cleared the rubble from a structure. With Corrin's strength, they were able to defeat the prisoners without a problem. They didn't kill their unarmed enemies, however.

Father was not pleased with them. "Don't just stand there, idiot children. Finish them!" he roared.

Kamui froze. "But. Father… they're beaten. You want us to execute helpless prisoners?"

Father was furious. "You dare question me?! I order you to kill them!" Kamui flinched at the anger in his voice.

Elise's heart rate sped up even more. Didn't Kamui understand that Father might just order her execution for not following orders? She prayed that Father would be merciful today; Elise would be broken beyond repair if one of her beloved siblings was executed. Why couldn't their family be at peace?

Corrin joined his sister's side. "No! It's wrong!" he practically yelled. _No, Corrin. Not you, too,_ Elise pleaded silently.

Father stood and pulled out a tome. "I won't argue the point any further." He killed one of the prisoners with the tome's magic.

Kamui let out a scream. This was most likely Elise's big sister had seem someone killed.

Corrin leapt in between Father's magic and the prisoners, blocking the next blow with his sword.

Oh no! Oh no! This couldn't be happening.

"Corrin! What are you-" Elise gasped.

"Unbelievable…" Xander murmured.

Father's face was beet red. Elise wouldn't be surprised if he exploded from anger. "You would defy me directly, Corrin?!"

Kamui joined Corrin. "I stand with you, Corrin. Father, this is wrong, and you know it!" she insisted.

Xander rushed forward. "Father, please forgive them! They don't yet understand our situation," he begged.

Father glared at Xander for butting in. "Fine. Xander, you kill them. And if anyone gets in your way, kill them too!"

Xander hesitated.

"DO IT! KILL THEM ALL!" Father screamed.

Xander approached the twins and the prisoners. He wouldn't actually kill Kamui and Corrin, would he? They would realize that this was madness and step aside! Everything would be fine.

"Corrin! Kamui! Stand down. If you don't I will be forced to-"

"No, Xander!" Corrin yelled. "I won't let you do this!"

Xander took on both of the twins at the same time. Corrin blocked Xander's first attack.

"Why do you refuse? You know the Hoshidans are our sworn enemies," Xander hissed.

"I know, but… this is different," Kamui replied. She dodged Xander's attack on her. "These people can't fight anymore. Why not show mercy?"

Elise secretly agreed with Kamui's statement, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. Didn't they see that mercy wouldn't work in this situation?

"Please, don't fight him… My dear Corrin, and my sweet Kamui…" Camilla pleaded. She was on the verge of tears.

"No no no!" Elise whimpered. She turned to Leo, the only sibling who still seemed calm. He was a genius; he could figure out a way to fix this. "Leo, what should we do?"

Leo sighed. "Why does this fall to me?" He approached the prisoners and used Brynhildr to take them out. He addressed Father. "Father, I have dispatched our enemies on behalf of my softhearted siblings."

"Hmph," Father grunted.

"I only ask that you would be merciful in your punishment of them," Leo continued.

_Oh please, Father, listen to him!_ Elise pleaded silently.

Father waved his hand. "Enough! I will consider the matter later." He stormed off, leaving his six children in the throne room.

Kamui was in tears and she threw herself at Leo. She clenched his forearms in her hands. Her knuckles were white with how hard she grabbed him. "Leo! How could you?!" she sobbed. "They were beaten! There was no reason to execute them!"

Leo remained in control of his emotions, even though Kamui had clearly lost it. "Agreed. Now hush." He tried to calm their frantic sister.

Kamui was shaking now. "Leo, did you-"

Xander pulled Kamui off of Leo. "Enough, both of you. The battle is over."

Corrin placed his hands on Kamui's shoulders. "Please, try to control yourself, Sister," he pleaded.

Their sister was still trembling, but her tears were subsiding. She hiccupped.

"Kamui, Corrin, mark my words… One day, an act of kindness may be the death of you," Xander warned. The thought broke Elise's heart.

"Perhaps, but if I'm kind, I will die without regrets," Corrin replied.

Kamui hiccupped again. Her words were so quiet that Elise could barely make them out. "I would rather sacrifice my life than my integrity."

They were both too pure for this violent life. Elise wished she was strong enough to protect them, as Leo had.

Xander sighed. "Well said," he said with a tone that clearly meant the discussion was over. He asked the guard to take the prisoners' remains to his quarters.

Only Camilla, Kamui, Corrin, Leo, and Elise remained in the throne room.

Kamui took the chance to confront Leo again. "Leo, your spell…"

"Was only enough to weaken them, yes. I should have followed Father's orders. But Camilla and Elise always make such a fuss when I do anything to upset you," Leo remarked. _You don't like it when she's upset, either, Leo,_ Elise thought. But she knew that he would never admit that.

Kamui embraced Leo. "Thank you, Leo. I'm sorry for teasing you about your collar."

Leo blushed at the reminder of his fashion mistake. He patted her back and sighed. "You can repay me by not mentioning it again."

"Thank you, Little Brother," Corrin agreed.

Elise beamed at them. "That was great, Brother!" Great didn't even begin to cover it. Thanks to Leo, Father had spared Kamui and Corrin. And those Hoshidan prisoners were miraculously alive. He had been a real hero today!

"It was, but I doubt this will be the last we hear of this. Father never forgets a slight," Camilla sighed.

That was true, but Elise would find a way to fix this! Father had listened to her in the past, and she hoped that he would now. "I can talk to Father with you guys, if you want," she offered. "If you apologize, maybe he won't punish you at all!"

Camilla  and Leo exchanged a skeptical glance, but Kamui and Corrin were optimistic.

"Thank you, Sister," Corrin said.

Kamui released Leo and hugged Elise tightly. "You're the best, Elise! I love you so much! Sorry for worrying you."

* * *

 

That evening, Elise accompanied Corrin and Kamui to the throne room again. They lingered outside the large black doors. The twins had been quiet all day; they were still clearly shaken up by what happened earlier. Elise would just have to give them the best pep talk she could.

"All right, Kamui and Corrin," Elise said in her brightest voice." Let's go in there together. I'll help as much as possible. This is our father we're talking about. He has to forgive you, right?" Elise held onto that hope.

Corrin nodded. "Hopefully." He sounded positive, but the crease between his eyebrows said otherwise.

Kamui gave her a nervous smile. "Thanks, Elise. I hope you're right."

Elise approached the throne room. "All right. Deep breath, and… here we go." She knocked on the door. "Father! We have something we need to talk about!"

Father roared  with laughter from the other side of the door.

"Father?" Corrin asked.

Elise hummed. "It sounds like he's with someone… Maybe we should come back later."

Father had heard them, though. "Hmph! Who's there?" His voice was always gruff, but he sounded to be in better spirits than earlier. He still didn't like being disturbed, though.

"Oh! Sorry to bother you, Father…" Elise apologized.

"Yes, we apologize if this isn't a good time," Kamui added.

"What do you want?" Father asked.

Elise took a deep breath and tried to stay upbeat. "Father, we're here to apologize. Right, guys?"

"Yes, that's right. Kamui and I are truly sorry for questioning you," Corrin admitted.

"You may enter."

Father was alone in the throne room. Perhaps the person he'd been with had left. Or maybe he was talking to himself again. No, Elise wouldn't consider that thought.

Father stared them down. He wasn't as upset as earlier, but he still wasn't pleased. "Kamui, Corrin… You disobeyed a direct order from me. Ordinarily you would not still be alive."

Kamui nodded meekly. "We understand…"

Elise didn't want this discussion again. "No! Father, I can explain-"

"Silence!" Father snapped, and Elise fell silent. "As you are my children, I will grant you some leeway."

Elise let out a sigh of relief. Everything would be fine.

"I have something in mind for you. A mission. If you complete this task successfully, I will pardon your crime in full," Father promised.

Corrin perked up at that. "Really?! What sort of mission?" He had often expressed the desire to complete his own missions. Now, he would have that chance.

"There is an abandoned fortress perched on the Hoshidan border. I wish to know if the building there remains serviceable. You are both to travel to the site and inspect the premises. No battle will be required. Do you understand? I won't tolerate being disappointed twice." Father glared at the twins.

Kamui quailed a little under his stern stare. "I- Yes, I understand."

Corrin nodded. "Yes, Father. It shall be done."

"Good, my children," Father said. "Now go prepare. I expect you to leave early tomorrow morning." He dismissed the three siblings.

Elise let out a sigh of relief after they left the room. "I'm glad that went so well." She smiled at her siblings. "You are going to do so great on your first mission! And together, you're unstoppable."

Corrin laughed. "Well, it's not like we're going to fight, but I'm glad we have this opportunity."

Kamui nodded. "Yes. Thank you for coming with us, Elise. I really appreciate it."

Elise beamed at them. "No problem! I just know everything is going to work out!" Maybe things weren't going like she'd expected, but she knew their family could get through anything.


	3. The Bottomless Canyon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamui and Corrin leave to carry out Father's next orders at the Bottomless Canyon.

Jakob and Felicia got Kamui up much earlier than she would have liked the next morning, but she got ready for the day without complaint. She hadn't slept very well, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. She never slept well in a different bed, anyway. Well, this was her bed now, but she wasn't used to it yet.

Felicia sat her down at the vanity. Kamui eyed herself in the mirror as Felicia helped get her ready. There were dark shadows under her eyes, and her hair was an unruly mess again. She patted her cheeks in an attempt to wake herself up.

"How would you like your hair done, Lady Kamui?" Felicia asked.

"Could you braid it? I don't want it getting in the way today."

"Of course. Oh, Jakob, Gunter, and I will be coming with you and Corrin to the Bottomless Canyon today," Felicia commented as she began a basic braid in Kamui's light gray hair.

Kamui suppressed a yawn. "Thank you, Felicia. I'll feel better knowing that we can count on you. Corrin and I haven't been out of the fortress for even a day now." She laughed lightly. "We'd probably have no clue what we were doing! I bet we'd just get lost, if left by ourselves."

"Oh, you'd be fine, Lady Kamui. I only make things worse for you anyway." Felicia mumbled the last part.

Kamui wondered if Felicia was thinking about the time Leo had snuck her out of the fortress, and then she and Felicia had gotten lost. "If you're thinking about- uh- the time we saw the meteor shower, that was not your fault, and I was glad to have you with me. You really saved me." Truthfully, Kamui would probably be dead if Felicia hadn't watched her back.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Kamui called.

Corrin entered her room, already dressed in his armor with his new sword at his side. Kamui would never admit it, but she was a tad jealous that he had gotten a better weapon than she did. Well, having a non-magical sword would just give her more of a challenge. It was a blessing in disguise. She did wish Father had given her a tome, though. She didn't understand why Father still insisted she train with the blade, when he didn't force her other sisters to do so. She supposed it was a useful skill, at least.

"You're still doing your hair, Kamui?" Corrin remarked. "It's just going to get messed up on our journey."

Kamui rolled her eyes. Boys- they were so clueless sometimes. "I want it out of my face. I'm just being practical."

"For the first time in your life," Corrin commented dryly.

Kamui smacked his arm. "Hey!"

Felicia tugged on the end of her hair. "Milady, it's difficult to do your hair when you're running around the room."

Kamui stood still. "Sorry, Felicia."

Corrin's face grew serious. "So do you think you're ready?"

Kamui gazed into the distance. "I don't know, honestly. I feel like there's more going on here than we're aware of." Why had Father decided to let them leave the fortress now of all times? And that ninja seemed to know something about them. Not to mention their strange dream the other night… Whatever was going on, there was a connection to Hoshido that she couldn't place yet. Or perhaps she didn't want to admit what she suspected.

"What do you mean?" Corrin asked.

Kamui shook her head. Now wasn't the time to discuss such things. "Don't worry. I'm just thinking out loud. We can talk about it later, if you want."

"Okay."

* * *

 

Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise all got up to see them off.

The autumn morning was cool and cloudy. Kamui looked out to the east, mesmerized by the distant mountains. That was where they were headed today. She was worried about the mission, but she was excited to see mountains and the infamous Bottomless Canyon for the first time.

Camilla, of course, couldn't stop fussing over them. She straightened Kamui's cape. "Darling, are you sure you're going to be okay out there? I don't like this…"

Kamui swallowed. No, she wasn't sure she'd be fine. But if Father found that out, it could be detrimental. "I'll be fine," she lied.

Corrin was still quite optimistic about the whole thing. "Of course we'll be fine. Please don't worry. It's just an abandoned fort."

Leo shared Kamui's apprehension. "You're acting rather casual about all this, Corrin. It isn't like Father to be so forgiving," he mused.

Corrin was still clueless. "Huh? What do you mean, Leo?"

Elise pouted. "That's enough, Leo! Don't be so worried all the time, sheesh. And don't even try to scare Corrin and Kamui before their first mission." She slapped Leo in the face, which surprised Kamui. Elise was the most gentle person she knew.

Leo yelped. "Hey! That's not necessary." He rubbed his sore cheek.

Camilla sighed. "I suppose I'll just have to come along. That way I know Corrin and Kamui will be safe." Oh, Kamui would feel much better if Camilla went with them!

A man with greasy black hair interrupted them. "I'm afraid that's not possible." His voice was oily, and Kamui instantly disliked him. He made her think of the slithering snakes she'd read about. They were stealthy and prone to strike without much warning. She had the feeling this man wouldn't hesitant to harm her or the people she loved.

Apparently Camilla shared the sentiment. "Why ever not, Iago?" she demanded.

This man, Iago, seemed to relish being the bearer of bad news. "Lady Camilla, King Garon intends this expedition as a test of sorts. As his top advisor, I have been entrusted with coordinating this mission. He would like to know whether Prince Corrin and Princess Kamui are worthy. After all, they _are_ part of the royal lineage. Therefore, your assistance would simply muddy the results."

His logic made sense, but that didn't mean Kamui had to like it. "Understood," she said. If she questioned Father's decisions again, the price could be losing her head. It was best to go along with it for now. It wasn't like she was being asked to do something downright evil this time. She'd complete the mission without complaint.

Corrin turned to Camilla. "Camilla, we need to do this all by ourselves. Surely you understand."

Camilla opened her mouth to reply, but Father entered the room and interrupted her. "Not all by yourselves, Corrin."

Corrin jumped. "Father! I didn't see you there."

"Rest assured, I don't intend to send you out there completely defenseless," Father continued.

A scarred man with a disturbing smile entered and bowed to the king. "Milord."

"This is Hans," Father introduced. "He is a veteran warrior and will ensure no trouble befalls either of you."

Perhaps Father did have a caring side that Kamui hadn't noticed yet. "Thank you, Father," she told him, and she meant it, too.

Then, Xander told Corrin and her the truth about Hans, and Kamui's opinion of Father's benevolence was squashed. "He's a criminal. A murderer and scoundrel. I arrested him myself, years ago. Father seems to think he's rehabilitated, but I'm not so sure. That said, he is a formidable soldier." He had pulled the twins into a private room before they departed.

"I see," Corrin said. Kamui could sense his discomfort as much as her own. Why would Father send a murderer to protect them? More like he'd try to kill them himself.

"Thanks for letting us know, Xander," Kamui told him. She gave him a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you!"

Xander chuckled. "You shouldn't be gone that long, little princess. You'll be home before you know it." Kamui hoped with all her heart that he was correct.

* * *

 

Gunter really despised the Bottomless Canyon; there was something unnatural about the place. He had sworn an oath to protect Princess Kamui and Prince Corrin with his own life, so he bit the bullet and accompanied them on their expedition to the despicable place.

He was proud of the royal twins for their fortitude during the journey to the canyon. They had not traveled long distances on horseback before, but they didn't complain about the soreness Gunter was certain they felt.

Corrin was excited for this opportunity to prove himself and serve his country. Kamui, on the other hand, had been pretty quiet the whole day. Gunter had been around her long enough to know when she was uneasy. He also knew that if she wanted to talk about it, she would bring it up herself.

Princess Kamui's eyes widened when the canyon came into view. "Wow… Is this it? The Bottomless Canyon?" she asked in wonder. Her nervousness was replaced with curiosity.

"Yes. It's the natural boundary dividing Nohr and Hoshido," Gunter told her.

Corrin looked into its depths. "It can't really be bottomless, can it?" He was also in awe at this new place. Gunter hoped their curiosity didn't extend to trying to answer Corrin's question themselves. He did _not_ want to fish the twins out of the canyon. But he knew they weren't naïve enough to just jump into the chasm.

"Let the eternal darkness below be your answer," he warned them. "Those who fall in never return… I truly despise this place. Something about the land around here just isn't right. They sky here is always dark and foreboding, and lightning strikes all who fly across." Gunter shuddered a little at the thought. "This is clearly a place us mortals were never meant to enter. Normally we'd travel around… But the fort that King Garon wants surveyed is right over there."

Prince Corrin shrugged. "Oh, it's not so bad. Or perhaps I'm just happy to be outside in the fresh air! Compared to the inside of that fortress, this is downright exciting!"

Kamui nodded. "I'm glad we can finally see the world, so I don't mind coming here at all."

Their excitement was endearing. "Ha! That certainly puts things in perspective, milord and milady. Come, let's proceed," Gunter advised. If left to their own devices, the royals might spend the entire afternoon exploring the canyon and completely forgetting about their mission. Well, Corrin would come to his senses eventually, but Kamui could literally spend hours observing anything that fascinated her.

The only way across the chasm was a rickety wooden bridge that looked like it might collapse at any moment. They really should get someone to replace it. Gunter proceeded to the bridge first, but stopped when he saw the Hoshidan soldiers that occupied the fort.

"Blast! It looks like this fort isn't as abandoned as we thought," he observed. "Why the devil is this place crawling with Hoshidans?" Something was very wrong. It was almost as if King Garon had led them into a trap on purpose.

"Hold on! Do not advance any farther, soldiers of Nohr," one of the Hoshidans ordered.

"Crossing that bridge is a violation of our border treaty," another Hoshidan warned. "Turn back at once, or we'll be forced to attack!"

"What should we do?" Felicia asked.

Corrin and Kamui nodded at each other. "We're not here to fight," Corrin said. "I suppose we'll have to turn back and report to Father."

"I agree," Kamui said. "Engaging them unprovoked could increase the tensions between Nohr and Hoshido."

"Wise decision, Lord Corrin and Lady Kamui," Gunter acquiesced.

Unfortunately, that horrible murderer the king had sent along didn't agree. "Who asked you, old man?" he growled. He rushed onto the bridge with his battle axe in hand.

"What?!" Gunter yelled. That idiot could start a full-on war with Hoshido by initiating an attack at the border.

The murderer hit a samurai with a killing blow. "Ah ha ha! Die scumbags!" The man was truly a madman!

The Hoshidans were outraged, of course. "You'll pay for this!" their commander hissed.

Princess Kamui was livid. "Hans, what are you doing?! We had no reason to engage these troops!"

"Pfft." Hans just ignored her.

Corrin spoke up. "We should have tried diplomacy first. We weren't sent here to fight!"

The madman snorted. "Speak for yourself, weakling."  Gunter was furious; how dare he speak to the prince that way!

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kamui snapped. She was ignored.

The Hoshidan leader gave the orders to attack. "Do not leave a single Nohrian alive!" The soldiers prepared for combat.

"Argh! Looks like there's no getting out of this now. Get ready to fight, Lord Corrin and Lady Kamui." Gunter was very displeased with this situation.

The twins didn't complain at all. They both dismounted their horses and readied their swords.

There were too many enemies gathered at that bridge. There was no feasible way they could battle their way through there. Hans just continued killing Hoshidans, regardless. Gunter secretly hoped that the Hoshidans would rid the world of the murderer. The man was despicable.

However, they had more serious matters to worry about other than Hans. "I'm afraid the enemy's position across that bridge may be impenetrable. We've got to look for another way across. See if you can find a Dragon Vein around here," Gunter suggested.

"Right. Kamui, I think there's a Dragon Vein over there," Corrin said. "Do you sense it, too?"

Kamui nodded. "Perhaps we could make our own bridge across."

The retainers guarded the royals as they used a Dragon Vein to make a rocky bridge across the chasm. It was much sturdier than the old wooden bridge that Hans crossed.

The Hoshidans were shocked. "Did you see what just happened to the cliff? Who are we dealing with here?" their commander gasped.

Of course by using a Dragon Vein, Corrin and Kamui had practically proclaimed that they were royalty. Perhaps that would frighten the Hoshidans. Or they may try harder to kill or capture the twins. Gunter would make sure that wouldn't happen.

The twins fought valiantly and managed to conquer the troops at the fortress. They only injured their enemies, making sure not to seriously maim them. Well, Corrin did most of the fighting, and Kamui supported him. They made a good team, though.

Everyone was gasping for breath after the Hoshidan commander had been defeated.

Corrin frowned. "This isn't what I had in mind… but at least we've completed Father's mission," he commented.

"I just hope that more-" Kamui started. She gasped as more Hoshidans arrived at the fort.

A ninja in front addressed her. "You're the leader of these troops? Pah. You're nothing more than a girl."

"Who are you?" Kamui asked. Of course she would want to know. Gunter doubted diplomacy would work after that skirmish.

"My name is Saizo. I've come to claim your life."

Kamui paled. "Hey! Everyone! We're still under attack!" she called out.

"Destroy them!" the ninja commanded. He rushed at Kamui with daggers in hand.

Corrin blocked Saizo's attack on Kamui. Gunter, Jakob, and Felicia hurried to support their lieges. There was no way the five of them could hold their own against this many troops for long.

"I won't allow it!" a voice shouted from the Nohrian side of the canyon. Gunter was relieved to see the newcomer. It was Lord Xander. Good, he could help get the prince and princess out of this mess.

The ninja was surprised. "What?! This must be their real commander…"

"What's going on here?" Xander asked their group.

Kamui brightened up at his presence. "Xander! How did you know we were in trouble?"

"Your timing is perfect," Corrin said, gratitude clear in his voice.

The three other royal siblings arrived moments after Prince Xander did. Princess Kamui looked like she was on the verge of tears, but her mouth was turned up into a smile. Corrin's face was more relaxed now. Gunter hadn't noticed how stressed they had been before the other royal children arrived.

"We've arrived just in time. Your luck never runs out, does it?" Lord Leo said.

Lady Camilla rushed over to Kamui. "Are you all right? I was so worried about you." Kamui nodded silently.

"We're all here for you!" Lady Elise cheered.

"Thank you, everyone!" Lord Corrin greeted them. "Um, but before we get too carried away… we _are_ under attack." Gunter couldn't help but chuckle at the obvious statement.

Camilla was furious. "Who dares attack my beloved siblings? I'll have their heads on a platter!"

"We're not hurt, Camilla," Kamui tried to placate her sister.

"But, darling… it's the thought that counts!" Lady Camilla countered. Her wyvern rushed forward, and she took out two Hoshidans with her battle axe.

Kamui gasped. "I never knew Camilla could be so… ruthless…" The young princess was still so innocent when it came to the actual battlefield.

Elise giggled. "That's right, you've never seen her on the battlefield before."

Soon more Hoshidan reinforcements arrived, and Gunter overheard mention that Prince Ryoma of Hoshido was on his way. Gunter shouldn't have been shocked that Prince Corrin and Princess Kamui would manage to get into this situation. Of course the enemy crown prince would come after the twins. Well, that was worrisome, considering their background.

Lord Xander ordered the twins to retreat with Gunter, and the rest of the siblings would follow.

Gunter gritted his teeth as he guided his stallion onto the rickety bridge. Kamui hesitated before following. "Please hurry up. I can't stand being on this bridge a moment longer," Gunter ordered.

The bridge was the least of his worries, however. Hans the mad murderer appeared at the other side of the bridge. "Don't worry- you won't have to stand there much longer," Hans hissed at them. His mouth was turned up in a twisted grin.

Corrin gasped. "Hans!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Gunter demanded. This was not good.

"Less talk. More death," Hans yelled as he moved to attack the young prince with his battle axe.

Gunter got in between them, but was unable to stop what happened next. Hans got Gunter and his mount off balanced, and then they were falling down into the Bottomless Canyon.

"Gunter!" he heard Princess Kamui scream.

_Oh, please be safe, Lord Corrin and Lady Kamui,_ Gunter prayed. He had not expected to die in this manner, but he if died protecting the prince and princess, then it was an honorable death.

* * *

 

Kamui's heart dropped as she saw her retainer fall into the canyon. No! This could not be happening!

"Hans, no! Why are you doing this?" She was furious. "Your own ally…" The man had definitely not reformed, just as Xander had warned. She hadn't thought it would cost Gunter's life, though.

Hans smirked. "Aww, did I knock your babysitter into the ditch? Here- you can meet up with him at the bottom!"

Kamui couldn't control her fury. Her arms felt like they were on fire, and when she looked down at them, they had transformed into arms that were definitely not human. They were long, silver, and scaly. She was too angry to wonder about it.

"You'll pay for this!" she growled and attacked Hans unarmed.

Hans was shocked. "What kind of… freak… are you?" How dare he call her that!

The monster had a lot to answer for. "I want answers, Hans! Why are you doing this? Why did you provoke the Hoshidans? And why did you kill Gunter? Answer me!" Kamui screamed at him.

Kamui's blood turned cold at his answer. "Just following orders. King Garon's orders," he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

No! Father wouldn't order Hans to kill them, right? Kamui didn't want to believe it. "What?! You lie!" she snarled. The rational part of her mind knew that what he claimed made sense, but Kamui pushed it aside.

Hans ran away like the coward he was. Kamui rushed after him. "Come back here!"

"Kamui," Corrin gasped behind her.

Oh. She'd really lost her temper, hadn't she? She turned to apologize to Corrin, but then gasped when she saw what was happening to him.

The Ganglari in her brother's hand began to vibrate, and then it pulled Corrin over the edge of the bridge into the canyon. She watched in horror as her brother fell into the Bottomless Canyon.

"No! No! Corrin!" Kamui screamed. He couldn't be gone, except he was. How had everything fallen apart so quickly? She sank to her knees and sobbed.

When a Hoshidan ninja found her moments later, she didn't try to resist. He knocked her out, anyway. She welcomed the void of unconsciousness; it was something to take away the pain.

* * *

 

Gunter felt like he fell forever. He probably would fall forever, since the canyon was bottomless.

At last, he hit the ground on a grassy hill. He gazed around himself. Apparently there _was_ a bottom of the canyon. There were little islands that just seemed to be floating in midair, and it was too quiet. He'd never seen or heard of a place like this.

Where was he, and how was he still alive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kamui refers to the events of the Conquest drama CD briefly during her conversation with Felicia. If you haven't read/listened to it, you totally should! Just look it up on YouTube. (Especially if you're obsessed about Kamui x Leo. I may or may not be one of those people... ;) 
> 
> Also, thanks to those who are actually taking the time to read this. I appreciate it! (At least, I hope someone is. Haha. If not, then I'm my own audience. Good thing I know just what I like!)


	4. A Forgotten Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamui and Corrin are brought to Hoshido and must face a difficult reality.

Corrin was sure he was going to die. The feeling of freefall was unnerving, but he knew that the eventual impact would be fatal. Rock formations passed in a blur around him. At least Kamui hadn't fallen into the canyon with him. He hoped she'd be okay.

He was shocked when he felt something grab him. He glanced up and saw a creature that was strangely familiar. "Lilith? Is that you? What _are_ you?" He couldn't believe the stable girl had jumped in after him. But she wasn't human.

"Lord Corrin!" That was definitely Lilith's voice. "I knew this day would come eventually. This may come as a shock, but I am not a human."

"Well, I can see that," Corrin commented wryly. "Are you a dragon?" He'd never met a dragon before.

"Yes, this is my true form," Lilith answered. "You've seen it before. Do you remember? That strange bird you and Lady Kamui rescued in the barn…"

Corrin thought back to that incident. It had been several years ago. He and Kamui had found an injured bird in a barn while they were playing. At least, they'd _thought_ it was a bird. They had nursed the "bird" back to health. "That… was you…?" Corrin wondered.

Lilith kept a tight grip on Corrin. He didn't know how she managed it. She answered calmly, as if she wasn't trying to keep him from falling to his death. "It was. Once I recovered, I was able to take human form. You were so kind to me that I decided to remain a human that I might serve you. But now I used a power that goes beyond the capacity of a human body. I will not be able to return to that form," she confessed. "I don't mind, though. The most important thing to me is that you're safe…" She trailed off as her strength started to give out. They began falling farther into the chasm.

Corrin couldn't allow her to die with him, if she was able to save herself. "Lilith! Be careful! Drop me if you must… I won't have you sacrifice yourself for me!" he insisted.

Lilith didn't address him now. "First Dragons, I call on you. Grant us access to the astral plane!" It sounded like a prayer.

Something shimmery appeared in the air, and Lilith flew into it. Bright light blinded Corrin's vision momentarily.

The light cleared, and Corrin found himself sitting in a wide field, unharmed. Lilith the dragon hovered in the air nearby.

"What just happened?!" he gasped. "Where… are we?" Shouldn't he be dead?

"This is a world parallel to the one in which you live, Lord Corrin," Lilith explained. "It is known as the astral plane."

"How were you able to get us here?" Corrin wondered.

"The First Dragons have granted us the power to inhabit this dimension. Under their protection, we are safe here. Oh! Allow me to prepare a place for you to rest…"

A tree house appeared out of nowhere. The thick oak supported the little wooden house on it. This place was really different.

"Did- did you just use a Dragon Vein?" Corrin wondered.

"Yes. The power of the First Dragons flows freely in this realm. You should know that space and time operate differently here as well…"

It was a little too much for Corrin to take in at the moment. "I have so much to learn… Is there anyone else here?"

Lilith closed her eyes. "No, we are alone. There's no one left here," she whispered.

Corrin felt terrible for making her sad. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to invoke any bad memories." He did wonder what had happened to everyone, though. Kamui probably would have asked.

"It's okay, Corrin. I'm not lonely as long as I have you in my life," Lilith told him. "Now… you should get some rest."

Corrin climbed into the tree house. The room was more spacious than he expected. There was a large bed by the wall, as well as a few bookshelves. He wanted to explore some more, but his exhaustion overwhelmed him. He collapsed on the bed and quickly fell asleep.

After his nap, he returned to the normal world and arrived at the top of the Bottomless Canyon. It was quiet, and Corrin didn't notice anyone around.

Well, when he took a hit to his head, he realized that someone had been there. He just hoped it was a friend. Although a friend wouldn't knock him out…

* * *

  

Everything hurt. Kamui had no idea how long she'd been knocked out, but her whole body ached, and her head throbbed with a migraine. Her chest hurt when she remembered what had happened to Gunter and Corrin… No, she couldn't think about that right now. She needed to deal with the present first.

She opened her eyes and groaned. It was too bright for her eyes.

"Ah, you're awake. Sorry about that bump on your head," a woman said.

After Kamui's eyes adjusted, she recognized the woman. She had been one of the prisoners that Father had wanted her to execute! "It's you! From the Flame Tribe, right? Where are we?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I am Rinkah. This is a Flame Tribe village within Hoshido's territory. I'm going to hand you over to the Hoshidan authorities, along with your brother."

Her brother? As Kamui surveyed more of the room, she noticed a familiar figure resting on the ground by the opposite wall. It was Corrin! Was he actually alive?

She crawled over to him. "Wha- how did Corrin get here?" Her hands shook as she checked his pulse. There was a heartbeat! Her brother was alive! It was a miracle!

Rinkah shrugged. "I found him wandering around the Bottomless Canyon and knocked him out. He'll probably come to, soon."

Kamui started crying. "I can't believe he's here and he's _alive_."

Rinkah raised an eyebrow. "It's not like I was going to kill him. A life for a life, you know."

"Oh! I never even though that. It's just I saw him fall into the Bottomless Canyon. I thought Corrin was gone forever," Kamui explained. Oh, wait. She probably shouldn't be sharing too much information with the enemy.

"Huh. Now that's interesting."

Kamui remembered something else Rinkah had mentioned. "Wait, you said that you were going to send us to the Hoshidans, right?" She sighed. "I suppose they'll want to hear an explanation for the unprovoked attack. And then they'll probably execute us."

"Heh. I don't think so," Rinkah commented with a knowing smile.

"Why do you say that? I know that we're your enemies. And we initiated an attack on your people." Even if it had been Hans who had done it, Kamui and Corrin had been in charge, so they would have to take responsibility for his actions.

"I don't think I'm the right person to explain it. But don't worry, Princess Kamui. We'll make sure you're taken care of."

Well, Kamui was only more curious. Now she was positive that she had a connection to Hoshido. All the pieces of this puzzle were starting to come together. A chill ran down Kamui's spine as she realized what the truth could be. She tried to warm herself by the fireplace and pushed those thoughts out of her mind. She still needed more information before making a definite conclusion.

After a while, she heard Corrin groan.

"Corrin!" She was by his side in a flash.

"Kamui? Where are we?" Corrin was as confused as she had been when she first woke up.

"We're in Hoshido, Corrin. We've been captured." Kamui didn't know much else to tell him. "But how did you survive? I'm so glad to see you alive and well!" She wiped away her tears. "Did Gunter survive, too?"

Corrin pulled her into a hug. "Lilith saved me, Kamui. I'll tell you more later," he added after realizing that Rinkah was there. "I don't think Gunter made it, though."

Kamui let out a shaky breath. "At least you're alive."

Rinkah stood up. "Now that you're both awake, we're going to the Hoshidan authorities."

She took them up to the snowy mountains. The ninja that Father had ordered them to kill at the castle was there. At least there were some familiar faces here.

"We meet again. Kaze, right?" Corrin said.

Kaze knelt before them. "Yes. I'm glad we found you, Prince Corrin and Princess Kamui."

"You are? Wait, am I missing something?" Corrin asked.

What Kaze said only added to Kamui's suspicions. She remembered her dream. Could it be possible…

"Please come with me. All will be explained," Kaze said.

"Very well," Kamui said. She was _dying_ to know what was going on.

* * *

  

Kaze and Rinkah took them to the throne room of Castle Shirasagi. Well, he had called them prince and princess, so Corrin decided it made sense that they would be taken to the Queen.

Kamui was a lot calmer than Corrin expected. Maybe the excitement of the last few days had worn her out. She seemed deep in thought during their entire journey. Perhaps she was trying to figure out a way to get them out of this mess.

A man with long brown hair in red armor waited for them. "Welcome back, Kaze. Good work," he greeted the ninja.

Kaze bowed. "Thank you, Lord Ryoma."

Kamui gasped. "Did- did you just say Lord Ryoma?" The name was familiar to Corrin, but he couldn't remember who Lord Ryoma was. Corrin wasn't very good with remembering names.

Rinkah answered his unspoken question. "Yes, this is the high prince of Hoshido, Lord Ryoma."

Oh. Corrin knew where this was going. They were going to be executed personally by the Hoshidan crown prince. There wasn't anything Corrin could think of to save himself, but perhaps he could convince them to spare Kamui. He would comply with whatever they asked of him. "I understand," he said. He stepped in front of Kamui, acting as a shield.

Prince Ryoma just looked at both of them thoughtfully. He didn't appear to be angry with them. And he didn't make a move to harm them.

Corrin was confused. "What are you waiting for? If you're going to execute me, please get on with it. Just please spare my sister." Maybe his life would be enough to satisfy the demands of justice.

Everyone looked over at a beautiful dark-haired woman who entered the room. She wore an elegant white dress. She gasped when she saw Corrin and his sister. "I cannot believe it is really you…"

Corrin and Kamui exchanged a confused look. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?" Corrin asked politely.

The woman looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Oh, I've missed you both so much! Come here, Kamui and Corrin, my sweet children!"

She pulled both of the twins into an embrace. Corrin was trying to process this. Their mysterious mother… was Hoshidan?

"Your sweet child?! What are you talking about? That's not possible…" Corrin found himself saying.

"Is it true? Are you really our mother?" Kamui whispered.

The woman sighed. "Oh, my poor dears. It's a sad story. When you were very young, you were abducted by forces from Nohr. I am your mother, Mikoto. All this time, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!"

Wait, wasn't she the queen of Hoshido? "But King Garon is our father! None of what you're saying makes sense," Corrin objected. Their whole lives hadn't been a huge lie, had they?

Ryoma spoke up. "It must be quite a shock, but I assure you that she speaks the truth. I am your elder brother, Ryoma."

Kamui was trembling. "No, no, no… Xander is our older brother! Leo, Elise, and Camilla are our siblings…" she whispered.

"Are those the Nohrian royals?" Ryoma asked. "They're not your real family."

Those words felt like a stab to his chest. The Nohrian royals were the only family he'd ever known, besides his twin sister. Kamui actually started weeping at Ryoma's blunt comment. Corrin worried that she was too emotional to handle this.

Ryoma continued. "I still remember the day you were taken. In those days, there was tension between Hoshido and Nohr, but no full-blown war. Not until King Garon lured King Sumeragi- our father- to Cheve under false pretenses. He said it was for a peace conference. Ha! His real plan was to murder our father in cold blood. And to make matters even worse… he kidnapped both of you."

From what Corrin knew of Father- King Garon- that sounded like something he would do.

"No. That's just not possible…" Kamui whispered through her tears. Queen Mikoto- Mother- embraced the weeping princess.

"It's okay to cry, my darling. I know this is a lot to take in," Mother soothed her.

Kamui wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "S-sorry. I'll pull myself together." She took a deep breath. "I'm not actually surprised this is the truth, but it is hard for my heart to accept." She clasped her hand over her mouth in horror. "Oh, that was really insensitive of me. I'm sorry! You all seem like kind people. It's just I love our Nohrian family."

No one seemed to know how to respond to all that. Corrin could empathize with her, though. He also loved the siblings they'd grown up with. It was painful to learn that they weren't actually family.

Fortunately, a samurai entered the throne room at that moment, ending the awkward silence. "Lord Ryoma! I have an urgent message. We're under attack from the north!"

Ryoma inhaled sharply. "No! Hinoka and Sakura are in that area right now!"

"Yes, milord. I've been told that they're working to help evacuate the villagers."

Ryoma gathered his gear. "Very well. We'll need to provide support. I'll leave immediately." He turned to Corrin and Kamui. "Corrin, Kamui, will you come with me? I want you to see the truth with your own eyes."

"I'll come," Corrin said. "I must know the truth, even if it hurts."

To his surprise, Kamui also agreed to come. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance," she said softly.

* * *

 

Hinoka thought she was dreaming. Could her long-lost brother and sister finally be home again? Corrin and Kamui had come with Ryoma to aid them in their fight again the Faceless. They had grown up, but still resembled the young children she remembered. And they had valiantly fought against their enemies.

Of course, Sakura did not recognize them for who they were. After the Faceless were defeated, she approached the gray-haired twins. "Thank you so much for coming to our aid. Those monsters would have caused more damage if you hadn't come. I have to ask, though… Who are you?"

Corrin started to answer. "Oh, my name is-"

"His name is Corrin, and this is Kamui," Hinoka said.

"Er, yes. Nice to meet you properly," Corrin said.

Was this real? Was she finally reunited with her siblings again? She started to tear up, much to her embarrassment. She was usually stronger than this.

"Hinoka?" Sakura asked. "Are you okay?"

Hinoka hugged Corrin, then Kamui. "Finally… after all these years… I- I've missed you so much," she admitted. Then she started crying on Kamui's shoulder, of all things!

Kamui just pulled her into a tighter embrace. She probably thought Hinoka was crazy. But her embrace was so warm, so real. "S-sorry…" Hinoka mumbled, embarrassed by letting her emotions get out of control. Usually she was stronger than this.

"Oh! Um…" Kamui seemed at a loss for words.

"Don't worry about it," Corrin said. Oh, he was still the sweet child she remembered!

Ryoma explained the reason for Hinoka's strange behavior. "Hinoka was so attached to both of you when you were little. When you were taken from us, she cried for months. One day she stopped crying and picked up the naginata. And I will say… if you ever find yourself facing business at the end of her weapon, you will soon be filled with major regrets about your life decisions." That was high praise from her brother! "She vowed to bring you back to us someday… And now here you are."

Hinoka was still sheepish about her outburst, but was able to actually talk to her siblings. "I'm sorry, Kamui, for crying all over you. I'm not usually this emotional. But I'm just so happy to have you back."

Corrin coughed in a terrible attempt to hide a laugh.

"What's so funny, Corrin?" Hinoka demanded.

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm not laughing at you. It's just that Kamui is probably the most emotional person I know, so I doubt she minds at all. I'm surprised you're not crying, too, Kamui."

"Hush, Corrin." Kamui patted Hinoka's back gently. "I'm glad you're happy, Hinoka."

Hinoka laughed. "Take that, Nohrian scumbags! We win, you lose!"

Sakura was in shock. "Wait… are they really Corrin and Kamui?"

"Yes," Ryoma answered. "I know it's big news. I'll fill you in on the whole story later." It was probably an epic rescue that Hinoka had missed being part of. "For now we should return to the castle before Nohr deploys more monsters. Everyone, let's head home!"

Kamui started asking questions as they traveled through the countryside. "What are those things, anyway?" She probably hadn't ever seen Faceless before.

Ryoma explained. "They're known as the Faceless. Creatures with no will of their own. Created by Nohrian mages."

Hinoka cracked her knuckles. "I call 'em dead meat. But they're the only thing Nohr can throw at us right now. Our mother, Queen Mikoto, put a magical barrier around our kingdom. Regular enemy soldiers find themselves without the will to fight upon crossing it. So long as Mother is able to keep the barrier up, Nohr can't invade Hoshido." She was grateful that the barrier protected their innocent people, but Hinoka still wished she could have the chance to test her skills against those Nohrian scum.

"That's why Nohr sends those… things," Ryoma continued. "They have no souls- no will of their own. That's why they are able to penetrate the barrier and terrorize our borders." More like the Nohrians were cowards, sending mindless monsters to do their dirty work.

Kamui didn't agree. "But… the Nohrians wouldn't send monsters to terrorize innocent people…" Those Nohrian scum had probably brainwashed her into thinking they were the good guys.

"Of course they would," Hinoka countered. "They're pure evil. Sometimes the Faceless even turn on the mages who created them. But the Nohrians don't care. They're willing to sacrifice their own just to hurt others. I'll never forgive them for that, or for stealing you away." She clenched her fists. "They'll pay for all the suffering they've caused!" Hinoka would personally make sure of it.

Kamui shook her head sadly. "I can't believe it…"

"Is it really so surprising, Kamui?" Corrin asked. "You saw yourself how King Garon treats even his own children. Deny it all you want, but this is the truth." At least Corrin could see through their lies.

Kamui frowned, but didn't say anything. She really didn't like to think badly of anyone. Hopefully she could see through to the truth, though.

Hinoka knew Nohr would probably retaliate now that Kamui and Corrin were back in Hoshido. But for now, she was content to just be in the presence of her beloved siblings. 

* * *

 

When Kamui and Corrin returned to Castle Shirasagi with their Hoshidan siblings, Queen Mikoto was waiting for them. "Welcome back, my dears," she called and embraced each child in turn.

"Corrin, Kamui, please come with me. There's something I'd like to show you," their mother added.

She led the twins to a dusty room that looked like a child's bedroom. There were two bedrolls on the floor. To Corrin's surprise, there were papers and toys littering the floor. The place looked like it hadn't been touched in years.

"This is your old room," Mother explained.

Kamui picked one of the papers. "And what's this?"

Mother took the paper and smiled, showing it to Corrin. "Oh! That's a picture Corrin drew when he was a little boy. This is your father, this is me, this is Corrin, and this is you, Kamui. It's so cute!"

Kamui smiled hesitantly. "It is."

Corrin sighed. This felt like a completely different life from what he knew. He was still adjusting to it.

Mother smiled sadly. "We couldn't bear to touch a thing in this room after you were taken. If we put your things away, it would have felt like giving up. You've both grown so much. I can't believe how handsome you are, Corrin. And Kamui, you've grown into a beautiful lady."

Corrin really felt terrible he couldn't remember his own mother. "I'm afraid I still don't remember anything," he apologized.

Mother didn't seem too upset. "Oh?"

Corrin sighed. "I'm so sorry. Here you are, maybe my real mother, and I don't feel anything…"

"I think I'm still in shock," Kamui murmured.

Mother wasn't upset by their words, though. "Please. it makes sense. You spent your whole childhood in Nohr. But I hope that someday we can be a family again."

Neither Corrin nor Kamui seemed to know how to respond to that. Yes, Corrin did want to know his mother, but he also cared about Xander and the others, even if they weren't actually blood related.

"For now, please make yourselves comfortable. Explore the castle, or stroll the grounds outside. You'll be safe here," Mikoto suggested.

Kamui nodded. "Thank you. I think I'm going to rest; I'm a little tired." She glanced at Corrin, as if imploring him to stay. She probably wanted to talk.

Mother dismissed herself.

Kamui plopped on one of the bedrolls. "So," she began.

Corrin raised an eyebrow. "Are you actually going to sleep, or was that an excuse to be alone?"

Kamui flopped on her back and covered her eyes with her arm. "This has been a bit much for me to take in. I miss home," she whispered. "I miss Leo, Xander, Camilla, and Elise. Gunter is dead… We have no idea what happened to Jakob and Felicia… I just feel like everything fell apart so quickly."

Corrin sat next to her. He hated seeing her so distraught. He ran his hand through her gray hair. "I'm so sorry all of this happened. I wish I could take away the pain. At least we're alive and together," he said, trying to find _something_ positive about this situation. "And now we've met our mother and siblings we didn't know about. They love us here. Things could be a lot worse."

Kamui wiped more tears from her eyes."I know. I know. As Leo would say, we have the devil's own luck." Her voice cracked on Leo's name. "Speaking of luck, how are you alive? I don't understand. If I didn't know better, I would say it was a miracle from the gods."

Corrin was glad she changed the subject to something happier. "Well, I would say it was a miracle. And a bit of help from Lilith."

Lilith appeared from wherever she had been hiding. She had secretly been watching over Corrin ever since the canyon. "Hello, Lady Kamui," her dragon voice spoke into their minds.

"Lilith? Is that really you?" Kamui gasped. She sat up on her mat and reached her hand forward as if to touch Lilith.

"Yes, Lady Kamui. As you can see, I'm not actually a human; I'm a dragon."

"Wow," Kamui breathed. She turned to Corrin. "Tell me the rest of the story."

When he finished his explanation of the astral plane, he asked Kamui if she would like to visit it.

"We can do that?" She looked like a child on winter solstice morning. "This is so awesome! I'm so glad we get to see so much of the world now! Well, and this other world in the astral plane," she added. "Let's go now!"

Lilith took them through the portal to the astral realm.

"This is the tree house Lilith made for me," Corrin explained. "This is a safe place we can come. You can use the power of Dragon Veins to alter the terrain here."

"Oh! Let me try!" Kamui closed her eyes and focused. Bunches of red roses grew around her. She smiled as she saw her handiwork. "This is amazing!" She laughed. It was the first time Corrin had heard her actually laugh since their visit to Castle Krakenburg.

She sat down and ran her fingers through the blades of grass. "So, this is a safe place where we can talk, right?"

Corrin sat next to her. "It should be. What did you want to talk about?"

"There's so much; I don't know where to start," she mumbled, not looking at him. "Sorry for not keeping it together today. You must be so disappointed in me. I know I haven’t been acting very mature."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sis. We've had a rough week. It's totally understandable," Corrin told her.

Kamui gazed into his eyes. "But enough about me. How are you holding up, Little Brother?"

"Hm. Well, I'm just as shocked as you are," Corrin began. "I have mixed feelings about it. To be honest, what Garon is doing is evil, Kamui. But I do love our family in Nohr, as well as our true family here in Hoshido. And even though I love Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise, I don't think I can simply do nothing to stop Garon's madness."

"I see," Kamui said quietly. "So what are you going to do, Corrin?"

It was the question both of them had to ask themselves. "I'm not positive yet, but I think if it came down to it, I would defend Hoshido." That was so hard to say out loud, as if solidifying a choice he hadn't made yet. "What will you do, Sister?"

Kamui pursed her lips. "I'll do what my heart tells me to do," she finally said.

"And what does your heart tell you?"

Kamui shook her head. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

* * *

 

After returning to their world, Kamui did end up taking a nap. Corrin hoped it would help her; she wasn't doing well with everything that was happening.

Corrin found himself wandering the castle grounds by himself. This part of Hoshido was much warmer than Nohr. Flowers of all hues blooming in the gardens, and the sun was shining. There was a lake a short walk from the castle.

"…You are the ocean's gray waves. Destined to reach life beyond the shore just out of reach…" a beautiful soprano sang.

Corrin was enraptured by the woman's voice. "What a beautiful song…" he murmured.

As he approached the lakeshore, Corrin saw a woman with long blue hair in the water. She was the songstress. She continued singing, having not noticed him yet.

"…Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time. The path is yours to climb…"

The woman turned and gasped when she saw Corrin gawking at her.

Corrin blushed. "Er, hello. I'm sorry to bother you. I just got lost in your singing. There is something about that song that captivated me…" It felt familiar for some reason, yet Corrin didn't think he'd ever heard it before.

The woman relaxed. "You must be Prince Corrin."

"Yes. And you are?"

"I'm Azura. A former princess of Nohr," she said.

Wait, there was another Nohrian royal that he didn't know about?

"Former? I don't understand. If that were true, surely I would have heard of you. I grew up with the Nohrian royal family…" Corrin wondered.

Azura shrugged. "I'm afraid I've been here a long time. After you and Kamui were taken by the Nohrians, the Hoshidan forces retaliated. They tried desperately to get you back, but they failed again and again. However, I wasn't as heavily guarded. Hoshidan ninja easily kidnapped me. I suppose we've been been hostages for most of our lives…"

"… I'm so sorry," Corrin whispered. It was because of him that she had also been kidnapped.

Azura smiled softly. "No, it's okay. I may technically be a hostage, but I've lived a happy life. The people of Hoshido have accepted me as one of their own. Even Queen Mikoto herself treats me as if I were her daughter."

"Does she? Hmm.." Their mother was truly an affectionate woman. Corrin wished he could remember something about her.

Azura noticed his melancholy mood. "Did something happen between you and Queen Mikoto?"

"Oh, no! It's nothing like that. I just don't know what to do. She seems perfectly lovely, but I don't feel any connection to her. But she loves me. And so do all my blood siblings- who I've just met." Talking to someone not as directly involved in the situation was refreshing. Corrin trusted Kamui, but she was also trying to reason all this out. Corrin worried that Kamui would not react well to some of his thoughts.

Azura hummed. "I understand. If I were to return to Nohr, I suspect I'd feel the same way."

"Do you think you could start over there? Live a new life among strangers?" Corrin asked. What would she do in his situation?

Azura answered without hesitation. "No. Given a choice, I would prefer to stay here in Hoshido. Queen Mikoto is a peace-loving ruler. Garon is not."

Well, that was an accurate description of the political situation. But Corrin also remembered Kamui's words about following her heart. Even if Garon was evil, Corrin did still love people in Nohr.

Azura interrupted his thoughts after a moment of silence. "So, Corrin… what are you going to do?"

Corrin sighed. It was the same question Kamui had asked him earlier. "I don't know. For now, I'm just going to spend some time thinking." He liked Azura enough, but he didn't know how much he should confide in her.


	5. Mixed Reception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After arriving in Hoshido, Kamui and Corrin are hit with major culture shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: lots of tickling ;)

Adjusting to life in Hoshido was an entirely new experience for Kamui. Many customs were so different from what she was used to that she often found herself confused and making mistakes all the time.

Their first dinner as a family was a disaster. Kamui and Corrin had never used chopsticks before in their lives, so Sakura and Ryoma had patiently shown them how to use them to eat. Kamui was fascinated by the new experience. She definitely preferred normal silverware, but learning how to use chopsticks was a fun novelty.

"Kamui, will you pass the rice noodles?" Corrin asked her.

Kamui picked two rice noodles up with her chopsticks, then passed them directly into Corrin's chopsticks. Technically, she'd done as he'd asked.

Corrin rolled his eyes. "I meant the serving dish, Sis."

Kamui's mischievous grin faltered when she realized how quiet the family had gotten. Aside from Takumi's angry glare, the rest of the family looked shocked and horrified.

Kamui quickly put down her chopsticks and bowed her head. "I made a mistake, didn't I?" She wished that she'd spent more time studying about Hoshidan customs with Leo; that would have come in handy now. _Don't think about him right now._

Mother was the one who answered. She gave Kamui a soft smile. "Kamui, dear, we're not upset with you." _Well, everyone except for Takumi,_ Kamui thought _._ "In Hoshido, passing things between chopsticks is an important part of a funeral, and we don't do so in any other situation," Mother explained. "But don't feel bad; you didn't know, darling."

So what she'd done was only acceptable at a funeral… Her actions must have been really offensive. Kamui brought a hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea."

"It's okay, Big Sister," Sakura reassured her. "We know that you didn't grow up here with us."

Kamui shook her head. "I had access to a library growing up. If I'd studied more about Hoshido, then I wouldn't have made that mistake."

"You can't know _everything_ from studying, Kamui," Corrin remarked. "Give yourself a break every once in a while, okay?"

Kamui nodded. Corrin was right; she needed to stop being so hard on herself. "You've all been so patient with me. Thank you. Um… may I ask how chopsticks are used in a funeral here in Hoshido?" Maybe discussing funerals at dinner was also taboo, but Kamui was curious. _It doesn't hurt to ask, right?_

Ryoma set down his chopsticks. "Well, we cremate the deceased person's body, and after that, we put the remains in an urn." He cleared his throat. "And the close family members use chopsticks to pick up the bones and place them in the urn. That's the only time that we pass objects between chopsticks."

"Oh. That's so fascinating!" Kamui smiled despite the morbid topic. So many things were new, and she wanted to take in everything she could.

Everyone looked at her with expressions that seemed to ask if she was crazy.

"If you're still curious, I'd be happy to explain the details of a Hoshidan funeral to you, later, Sister," Ryoma offered.

Kamui flashed him a grin; it was the first time she'd genuinely smiled at him, she realized. "Thanks, Ryoma. I'll take you up on that."

Takumi's mood had only soured. "Ugh. Why are we discussing funerals at our family meal?"

Hinoka jabbed his shoulder with her chopsticks. "Because Kamui asked, obviously. Sheesh, Takumi, lighten up a bit."

Mother met Takumi's gaze, and the prince lowered his eyes. "Just mind your own business, Hinoka," he muttered.

They moved on from that discussion, but Kamui could still feel an absence of warmth throughout the rest of the dinner. She felt terrible for ruining their first meal together with her naïve actions and questions.

* * *

 

Corrin and Kamui slept in their childhood room the first night in Hoshido. It was a strange feeling, but it was technically their room. Neither of them knew what to do with the children's toys scattered on the floor.

Kamui yawned. "Well, I'm going to sleep now. And I'm going to sleep in as long as I can tomorrow, so don't you _dare_ wake me up early." They both knew the chances of that actually happening were zero.

Corrin rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. I'd rather not face the terrible wrath of sleep-deprived Princess Kamui."

"Aw, c'mon, Corrin. I'm not _that_ bad, right?" _Yes, you are, Kamui,_ Corrin thought _._ Kamui sat on her mattress and watched her brother with bright eyes.

"I'm not going to answer that," Corrin said, instead of speaking the truth.

"Hey!" Kamui threw her pillow at him. "Stop teasing me like that!"

His sister had good aim. Her pillow hit Corrin smack in the center of his face. He held it tightly against his chest. "Thanks for the extra pillow, Sis! Have fun without it!"

Kamui jumped up and wrestled Corrin for the pillow. "Give it back, Corrin! Or you _will_ face my wrath!"

"Well, you're the one who so kindly gave it to me, so I think I'll keep it for tonight." Corrin smirked. "That ought to teach you a lesson about throwing pillows at your twin."

Corrin was much stronger than Kamui, but he was wary of her cunning. Sure enough, after failing at getting the pillow back by sheer strength, Kamui sat back on her knees and grinned mischievously. "Oh, you've just made a huge mistake, Little Brother!" She wiggled her fingers at him.

Corrin knew what that meant, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of backing down. "So?" He held his head high.

Kamui jumped at him again. Her fingers quickly found his sides, his most ticklish spot.

"Ah- ah! Kamui, stop!" Corrin tried not to shriek, but he didn't do a good job at hiding his ticklishness, to his embarrassment.

Kamui pinned him down on his mattress pad. "Nope! Not until you give me back my pillow!"

Corrin shook his head furiously. "Never!" He knew he'd probably lose this little game of theirs, but he wouldn't go down without a fight. He rolled onto his stomach and tried to pin Kamui's treacherous fingers underneath him. Kamui pulled her hands away before he could succeed.

There was a knock at the screen-door thing; Corrin couldn't remember what the Hoshidan type of door was called. "Is everything all right, milord and milady?" a woman Corrin didn't recognize asked.

Kamui got off Corrin. "Yes, everything is just fine, thank you," she replied sweetly.

The stranger sounded amused. "Princess Kamui, were you having a tickle fight with poor Prince Corrin?" Corrin did _not_ like being called that.

Kamui opened the screen door. The stranger had indigo hair pulled up in some elaborate hairdo. Her white top only covered her bosom; her belly was completely exposed in that outfit. Her pants were dark, and she was barefoot.

"Lady Kamui," she greeted the princess and nodded in Corrin's direction. "Prince Corrin. I am Orochi, one of Queen Mikoto's retainers. So tell me, milady, were you attacking your brother in the most malicious way?" Orochi seemed way too excited about that prospect.

Kamui smirked.  "Maybe. Maybe not." She shrugged. "What's it to you?"

"I had a prediction that you would require my assistance at this moment to retrieve something most precious." Orochi's eyes flickered to Corrin and the pillow in his arms for a brief second.

"Prediction? What do you mean?" Kamui tilted her head slightly to the side.

"I'm a diviner, milady. I can predict the future." Orochi smiled proudly.

Kamui grinned. "Really?! That's so cool!" She was bouncing on her feet again. Seriously, sometimes she had way too much energy.

"I'm glad you appreciate my skills; not all do. Your mother is one of the few who does." Orochi glanced at Corrin again. "So how may I assist you, milady?"

Kamui turned and smirked at Corrin. Great, now he had _two_ mischievous women ganging up on him. "Oh, my dear little brother refuses to give me my pillow," Kamui said lightly. "I'm glad someone understands how important this is. You'll give it back now, won't you, Corrin? Stealing your sister's pillow isn't very princely, you know."

Corrin snorted. "You're one to talk. Didn't a certain princess throw a pillow at me and assault me?" He stood and gave the pillow over anyway. Their game was over, but he'd win the next one.

"Assault? Dear brother, I was merely tickling you. I think that hardly qualifies as assault." Kamui's sarcastic tone was ruined by her yawn. "I'm going to bed now." _Finally._ She turned back to Orochi. "Thank you for your help, Orochi. I look forward to getting to know you better."

After Orochi left, Kamui instantly curled up with her pillow.

Corrin laid on his back and gazed at the darkened ceiling. "Kamui?"

"Mhmm?"

"What's will all the mood swings? One moment you're depressed and crying, the next you're giggling like a little girl. It's kind of exhausting to watch." And concerning; Corrin hadn't ever seen Kamui's emotions _this_ out of control.

Kamui sighed. He glanced her way, but she was still in a fetal position with her eyes closed. "Corrin. It's been a long day, and I'm really tired. But to answer your question briefly, I guess I'm… torn right now. I miss Nohr and- and Leo, Elise, Camilla, and Xander. But at the same time, I'm excited to meet new people and learn new things here in Hoshido… And I can't resist tickling you; you're just too much fun…" Her words trailed off as she slipped into slumber.

Corrin fell asleep soon after Kamui. His last thoughts were about how lucky he was that after everything that had happened, Kamui was still at his side. That was definitely a miracle from the gods. Even if she did still start pillow fights and tickle attacks, he loved her all the same.

* * *

 

Corrin made his way to the training facilities the next morning. Even if he was new here, he didn't want to miss a day of practice with the sword. He needed to get better in order to protect those dear to him.

There were two samurai already sparring when Corrin arrived. One was a man with long brown hair tied into a messy bun on his head. The other samurai was a brunette woman with wavy hair. Corrin watched their techniques, mesmerized by the differences in style between Nohr and Hoshido. Perhaps they would help him learn some Hoshidan techniques.

After a series of quick strikes, the man's sword went flying out of his hands. The woman held her practice blade at his throat. "Okay, okay, Hana. You win again," the man said.

The woman chuckled. "I always win, Hinata. Just accept it."

"That was very impressive," Corrin couldn't help saying.

Both samurai turned to him. The woman, Hana, pursed her lips, but said nothing.

Hinata was friendlier, at least. "Hey there! You must be Prince Corrin. My name is Hinata. I'm one of Takumi's retainers." His smile was cheerful and genuine.

"Can we help you with something, milord?" Hana asked. She crossed her arms across her chest. The message was clear: he was not welcome here.

"I wanted to spar. May I join you?"

"Heck yeah, milord!" Hinata answered immediately. "I'm always looking for new sparring partners. Let's see what you've got!"

"I'm going to check on Lady Sakura," Hana said and quickly strode away.

Hinata noticed Corrin watching her. "Sorry about Hana. I don't know what's gotten into her."

Corrin shrugged; after Takumi's open hostility, he wasn't really bothered by Hana's cold shoulder. "It's fine. Let's get on with the match!" He looked forward to sparring again.

Corrin took an offensive stance initially, but quickly reverted to defense. Hinata was much more agile than Xander, and Corrin struggled to keep up with the assault of blows. Not even thirty seconds into the match, Hinata managed to land a blow to Corrin's shoulder.

"Ha ha! I won!" Hinata cheered.

Corrin grimaced; that loss was a blow to his pride. "You're so fast! I'm impressed. Do you think you could give me some pointers? I want to improve as much as I can."

"Sure thing! Wait here; I'll get Lord Takumi to join us, too." Hinata was off before Corrin could reply.

Corrin's worries about spending time with Takumi were validated when he saw Takumi's blazing eyes glaring at him. Corrin was certain the prince hated Kamui and him. He was surprised that Takumi even came back with Hinata.

"Hello, Takumi," Corrin greeted cheerfully. There had to be some way to earn his younger brother's trust.

Takumi crossed his arms. "You don't have the right to address me like that, Nohrian scum. Mother and the others may have welcome you back into the family, but I'm watching you."

"Uh…" Corrin wasn't sure what to say to that.

Hinata broke up the tense conversation. "Hey, Lord Takumi! How about we spar together, and Lord Corrin can observe our techniques?" He turned to Corrin. "Does that sound like a good plan, milord?"

Corrin smiled. He was glad that Hinata was so welcoming and upbeat. "Yes, that would be great. And then, do you think we could spar… Takumi?"

Takumi glared at him. "No, I don't spar with Nohrian scum. But I'll show you what a _real_ Hoshidan can do with a katana." Corrin ignored the snide remark at the end.

Even though Takumi was a bit- well, very- prickly, observing his sparring with Hinata was enlightening. Both men were quick on their feet and almost seemed to be dancing around each other. They relied more on speed and agility than brute strength. Corrin made mental note of the things he'd like to improve on in his own training.

Takumi won the match, then hurried off before Corrin could say anything. That was probably better than being yelled at, he supposed, but it still hurt. Corrin wasn't used to outright hatred from any of his siblings. He hoped things could improve between them.

* * *

 

It was half past noon when Kamui crawled out of bed. Sunlight shined through the window. She pulled back the curtains and gasped at the lovely view of the castle gardens. Even though it was fall, there were still flowers in bloom; maybe Hoshido didn't get cold like Nohr in the winter. She couldn't tell what kinds of flowers they were from this distance, but the majority were hues of red and pink, along with some yellow. She couldn't help but think how Elise would love to see these flowers.

Kamui squeezed her eyes shut and tried to push away the aching in her heart. She missed their Nohrian siblings terribly, even though she'd last seen them… yesterday. It had only been one day, right? Yes, yesterday morning was when they'd arrived at the Bottomless Canyon. It felt like an eternity, and she didn't know when or if she'd see her loved ones again.

 _That's not true. If that dream is some sort of premonition, then… I'll see them again._ Kamui grimaced at the thought that followed. _But not under very friendly circumstances ._ She had the bad feeling that soon she and Corrin would be thrown right into a bloody feud between the two families. And she did not want that. But she didn't know how to prevent it.

She wiped away the tears that threatened to overflow. Why was everything so difficult? It seemed that any choice she could make would bring immense pain. But did it matter? Her heart was already breaking.

"I need to get some air," she muttered. She found a simple Hoshidan dress to throw on. It was blue with large white flowers on the skirt. She hurried out of her old childhood bedroom as soon as she was dressed.

Orochi was waiting outside. Or perhaps she was on guard duty, since she was a retainer. "Lady Kamui?"

Kamui caught her breath and tried to respond normally. "Hello, Orochi." Ugh, why did her voice have to tremble?

Orochi raised an eyebrow. "You're not looking so well, milady. Not taking well to Hoshido, hm?"

Kamui felt the color drop from her face. "Oh no! That's not it at all. I'm fine, really. I just want to get some air."

"I'm coming with you," Orochi decided. She linked their arms together like they were sisters going for a walk around the gardens.

Kamui sighed. "If you insist… Actually, there is something I'd like to ask you. Since you're a diviner, maybe you'd know the answer. Can visions of the future come through dreams?"

Orochi studied her face before answering. "Have you have such a dream, milady?"

Kamui forced herself to not look away. "Perhaps. Just answer the question, Orochi. Please," she added at the end.

Orochi cackled at Kamui's pathetic attempt to sound proper like a princess. "Yes."

"Yes? Yes, what?"

"Yes, people can sometimes see the future in their dreams. Queen Mikoto is one of the people I know that has the gift of prophesy." Orochi tapped her chin with her finger. "I wonder… perhaps you've inherited the ability from your mother. But the future is murky at best, and sometimes people do not like what they see."

Kamui sighed. She liked Orochi well enough, but she didn't feel like confiding in her. She still didn't know the diviner very well. And she didn't know if she was over thinking things as usual, or if she really had the gift of prophesy.

"I take it your dream was not a pleasant one?"

Kamui shook her head and pulled away. "It was just a dream. Nothing more." In her mind, she knew that wasn't true, but her heart wanted it to be a simple dream. And Kamui listened to her heart, even if Leo and Corrin would call her silly or naïve for it. It was one of the few things keeping her sane anymore. She feared that if she didn't listen to her heart, it would end up even more broken.

* * *

 

Azura was in the library when Kaze found her. As usual, he appeared out of nowhere.

She gasped. "Oh, it's you, Kaze. Please don't scare me like that." She felt like he could be a character in a ghost story, with the way he was always startling her.

"My apologizes, Lady Azura." Kaze bowed his head. "I have a message for you from Queen Mikoto."

Of course Kaze only sought her out for official business. _Maybe that can be different in the future._ "Oh. Please tell me the message," Azura requested.

"She would like you to meet her by the lake in twenty minutes."

Azura blinked. "That's it?"

"That is all my message contains, milady," Kaze verified.

"Well, thank you, Kaze." Azura flashed him her brightest smile."I really appreciate all your help."

"Farewell, milady." Kaze was gone as quickly as he'd appeared.

Queen Mikoto was waiting beside the lake when Azura arrived. She wore a lovely turquoise kimono. She smiled gently when she saw Azura. "Azura, thank you for coming."

"It's no problem, Aunt Mikoto." Azura only called her "aunt" when they were alone; no one knew that they were actually blood-related, and it was best to keep it that way.

"I've had some visions of the future recently, and I have some things I need you to do. Will you help me?"

"Of course." Azura loved her aunt and would do anything she requested. She had full confidence that the queen would not ask her to do anything wrong.

Mikoto pulled out a pouch from her pocket and opened it. There were two bluish stones inside. They were about the size of a fist, and Azura could feel the magic pulsing through them. "These are Dragonstones," Mikoto explained. "I had a premonition that Kamui and Corrin will need them very soon. Their dragon blood is especially strong, and being attuned to a Dragonstone will help them control their dragon blood." She paused. "I don't know if I'll be around to give them the stones, so I am asking you to do it for me. You'll know when the time is right."

Azura hesitantly took the pouch with the stones. It was surprisingly light. "I will make sure they get the stones, Aunt Mikoto."

Mikoto smiled. "Thank you, Azura. And please tell Kamui and Corrin that they must always have the Dragonstone with them for it to help."

Azura nodded. "Aunt Mikoto?"

"Hm?"

"I have a question." The queen waited patiently while Azura organized her thoughts. "Are you going to tell Kamui and Corrin about where we come from?"

The queen's eyes grew sad. This was not a topic that they discussed often. "Eventually, yes. But now isn't the time; they're overwhelmed enough as it is. But I have a strong notion that they will play a large part in what is to come." Mikoto wouldn't say any more, and Azura didn't ask.

After Queen Mikoto left, Azura sat by the water's edge and watched the sunset. Pink and orange colors splashed across the surface of the lake, creating a painting made by nature itself. Perhaps she could write a song about it. Maybe Kaze would appreciate it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked up a lot of information about Japanese funerals and learned some interesting things. As far as I understand, most Japanese are cremated and their ashes and bones are placed in an urn. The family members use chopsticks to place the bones in the urn, and they can pass the bones between chopsticks. In any other situation, people don't pass food or anything between chopsticks because it is associated with a funeral. At least, that was my understanding after reading articles for longer than I'd like to admit. Definitely fascinating stuff! Anyway, I thought I'd throw in that interesting tidbit.
> 
> And I haven't actually played Birthright, so I hope I got the Hoshidan characters in character. (I did watch a play through, and I've read most of their support conversations, though.) If something seems off, please let me know!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	6. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Kamui and Corrin go missing at the Bottomless Canyon, the Nohrian royal siblings deal with their grief, while preparing for Father's latest orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was naughty and put up the next chapter ahead of my "schedule." And I want to say sorry to Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise for breaking their hearts; I just want to give them all hugs! :'(

Xander had failed as an older brother. Within one day of finally leaving the Northern Fortress, Kamui and Corrin had both gone missing. It was his duty to protect them, and something had happened to them when his back was turned. Their whole family was distraught, knowing that two of their beloved siblings were gone.

After searching for hours at the Bottomless Canyon, the siblings did not have any luck in finding Kamui or Corrin. Their retainer Gunter was also missing, and there was no sign of his stallion anywhere. The other retainers, Jakob and Felicia, were also at a loss as to what happened. Jakob was stricken that he had let his lieges out of his sight. Felicia had sobbed and begged for forgiveness for her carelessness. She'd even suggested that she should be executed for not doing her job. Xander found that notion ridiculous. He wasn't his father; he wouldn't kill needlessly. Besides, the twins would be furious if their retainers were executed.

Leo had several theories that he'd shared with them, but none of them were pleasant. It was possible that they had been captured by the Hoshidans, but that seemed unlikely because there hadn't been any signs of a struggle. They could have fallen into the Bottomless Canyon, which Leo thought was probable because part of the wooden bridge was broken. Or there could be another element at work here that they didn't know about.

Leo's hypotheses did nothing to help lift the siblings' moods. Camilla and Elise spent the whole first day crying in Elise's room together. Xander doubted that they would have the same cheer ever again. Leo had just disappeared and avoided the rest of the family. Xander had no clue what his younger brother was up to, but he didn't feel comfortable asking outright. Leo was most likely mourning in his own way. He and Kamui had been especially close, so this would be really difficult on him.

Xander himself was at a loss of what to do. He trained even harder each day with his retainers, Laslow and Peri, in hopes of being strong enough to protect the rest of his family. Training was no longer enjoyable because it reminded him of Corrin. They'd probably never spar  together again. Training with Corrin had been one of Xander's favorite activities. But now, it was as if a light in Xander's life had been snuffed out, and there was no way to ignite it again.

Two days after the incident at the Bottomless Canyon, Father requested his children's presence in the throne room. Little Elise wouldn't let go of Camilla's arm. Both sisters had swollen eyes and looked as if they hadn't slept in three days, which was probable. Leo stood at attention with his arms folded behind his back. He didn't make any eye contact with anyone. Xander's appearance was probably similar to his siblings', which was not good for his image as crown prince. He needed to pull himself together.

"Father, what is it you wished to discuss?" Xander began the conversation. _Maybe there's word about Kamui and Corrin. Don't get your hopes up!_

"Soon the barrier protecting Hoshido will be down, as the gods have decreed. I want you to lead our invasion of Hoshido when that happens, Xander. And the rest of you are to accompany the army." Father was completely serious. But how could he know that the barrier would be down soon? It had been up for about seventeen years now. Well, it wasn't his place to question Father's orders. Xander nodded as if everything Father said made total sense.

Father continued. "It is time we showed those pesky Hoshidans the true strength of Nohr. We should be able to crush them with ease. I want the army at attention at the border for the moment the barrier is down. Do not fail me like Kamui and Corrin did."

Xander winced before he could control his reaction to Father's statement about the twins.

Elise did nothing to control her reaction. She sobbed into her hands. "Father, why would you say something like that? Kamui and Corrin-"

"Silence!" Father bellowed. Elise stopped mind sentence, but she was still shaking like a leaf in Camilla's embrace.

Xander did not like the idea of invading Hoshido, but he would do what was necessary for the glory of Nohr. In this case, that meant following the king's orders without question. A small voice in his head noted that the twins would have verbally objected to this command. In this moment, he was silently glad they weren't here.

"It shall be done, Father," Xander stated.

Father waved his hand in dismissal. "Do not let me down, children."

After they left the throne room, Camilla turned her attention to Elise, who was looking a little too pale. "Elise, darling, are you all right? You aren't getting sick, are you?"

Elise shook her head. "I'm not sick. Just not happy that now we have to fight so soon. I wish they were here with us." They all knew who Elise was talking about. The young princess started weeping nosily. "I want Kamui and Corrin b-back!"

Xander and Leo instinctively turned to Camilla; she would know how to handle this situation. Xander would not admit this, but he hoped that perhaps she could help him deal with his grief as well. If anyone could, it would be Camilla.

Camilla pulled Elise into a tight hug. "I know, darling. I know. I want them back, too."

Leo sighed. "I'm going to make preparations for the invasion," he said.

Camilla glared daggers at him. "Don't you dare use that excuse to sneak off again, Leo! We need you here right now." She pouted. "I know my baby brother is suffering as well."

Leo frowned. "Camilla, I'm a grown man now. I don't need you treating me like I'm still a baby… Argh!" Leo jumped when Xander stepped hard on his foot. "What did you do that for, Xander?" His amber eyes glinted with suppressed anger. It had been the fastest thing Xander could do to make Leo be quiet, though.

"Please mind what you say, Leo," Xander commented. "It won't do us any good to fight amongst ourselves."

Leo's glare only hardened. "I'll take my leave of you, then."

"Big Brother, no!" Elise cried out. She pulled out of Camilla's arms and grabbed Leo's arm. "Please don't be angry. I don't want us to be mad at each other."

Leo brushed off her hold, but he didn't leave. He crossed his arms across his chest and glared at all of them. "Look, if you want me to just spill everything out to you right now, forget it! I have better things to do than dwell on this. Kamui and Corrin are _gone_ ; we need to accept that and move on." Leo did not seem to be doing well at taking his own advice, but it sounded like the cold ideology he would cling to. Xander knew that moving on was for the best, but the pain was still too raw.

"H-how can you say that?!" Elise demanded. "I know you loved them, too. Pretending they never existed isn't going to help at all."

Xander did not appreciate all of this tension between his younger siblings. As the eldest, it was his role to break up the fight that had begun. "Leo, Elise-"

Leo interrupted Xander's rebuke. "I never said that we should pretend that they never existed. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Leo stormed off in the direction of his room. No one tried to stop him this time.

Elise started sobbing again. Camilla seemed to have the situation mostly under control, so Xander left as well. He had many things to do in the next few days, and the sooner they conquered Hoshido, the better. Then they could mourn in peace.

* * *

 

Their family was falling apart. Ever since sweet Kamui and dear Corrin had disappeared, Camilla could only watch as her siblings dealt with their grief. Xander had become more serious than ever; he didn't jest often, but now he never even cracked a smile. Camilla could sense an air of aggression around him. He didn't take it out on anyone, but she worried that soon he'd snap. Being in the same room as Leo was downright miserable. If anyone so much as looked his way or spoke to him, he'd lose his temper. Camilla still tried to reach out to him anyway. It wasn't good for him to bottle up his emotions like that. And dear Elise, well, she just cried almost all of the time now. She didn't care about her music or art anymore. At least she would allow Camilla to comfort her.

Camilla was secretly looking forward to the invasion of Hoshido. Kamui and Corrin had been lost in combat with the Hoshidans; they were probably responsible for the disappearance of her darling twins. Camilla would make them pay for what they took from her family. They would learn the hard way that messing with the Nohrian royal family was a grave mistake.

Perhaps training with her battle axe would help take Camilla's mind off of things. At least it was a release for her frustration. She strode through the castle corridors with her axe over her shoulder. Servants and nobles got out of her way as soon as they saw her determination. _That's right. You all just move along,_ Camilla mused.

"Lady Camilla! Where are you going?" Camilla turned to tell the person to mind their own business, but then realized that the speaker was one of her adorable retainers, Selena. And Camilla _was_ Selena's business, so to speak.

Camilla forced a smile. Hopefully it didn't look as fake as it felt. "Hello, dear Selena. I'm just headed to the training grounds. I need to make sure I'm at my best for the invasion."

"Well, I'm coming with you, milady. Don't bother trying to stop me," Selena quipped. "It's my job to look out for you."

Camilla was about to tell her no, but then remembered how Kamui and Corrin's retainers hadn't been with them at a critical moment. The likelihood of something happening to Camilla was extremely low, but she supposed she could be cautious just this once. And being around Selena was entertaining anyway. "Come if you must," was all Camilla said.

The training grounds were vacant when they arrived. Camilla didn't mind, though. She wasn't in the mood to interact with people anyway.

She hacked away at the training dummies with as much strength as she could muster. She lost track of the time, lost in her own thoughts about her family. She hadn't realized how many she'd decimated in her rage until she stopped for a break. There were at least ten training dummies that lay in piles of broken parts.

Camilla laughed into her hand. "Oops. It seems I got carried away, Selena," she observed.

Selena had been training with the sword. She rolled her eyes. "I've seen worse," she noted.

"Worse? Do tell!"

Selena paused. "Eh. Just some guy I met where I'm from." She shrugged. "It's not important."

Camilla raised an eyebrow. Selena occasionally hinted at her homeland, but never shared details. She'd appeared out of the blue one day with Xander's retainer, Laslow, and Leo's retainer, Odin. Father had basically forced the royals to take them on as retainers. Camilla hadn't been pleased about the idea, but then she saw Selena's skill and determination in the arena against the academy's finest warriors. She was also super adorable, which was a lovely bonus.

"Lady Camilla?" Selena's expression was a tad worried.

"Aha ha. I think you have a good story that you're not sharing," Camilla prompted. "Tell me about this guy." An adorable thought about possible romance crossed Camilla's mind; maybe Elise was rubbing off on her. "Was he your boyfriend?"

Selena burst into boisterous laugher. "Heck no! My mother had a huge crush on him, though. Thank goodness she didn't end up with him." She sobered up after mentioning her mother.

"Aw, what's the matter, darling?" Camilla sat on one of the benches and patted the spot next to her. "Tell me all about it." Perhaps talking about it would help the poor girl.

Selena  sat down and rested her chin in her cupped hands. "I'd rather not talk about my mother, if that's okay."

"You miss her, don't you?" Camilla asked quietly. Selena's expression was very similar to how her siblings had looked the past few days.

Selena shrugged. "She passed away when I was young. I'm over it now." The tears she hastily wiped away said otherwise.

"Oh, darling. You can always cry on my shoulder, if you need to. Why are you blushing, dear?" Camilla simply wanted to comfort her retainer. When Selena didn't answer, Camilla continued. "It's kind of comforting to think we have something in common, Selena. I miss Kamui and Corrin so much that it hurts. I imagine you feel the same way about your mother."

"It gets easier with time." Selena's tone suggested otherwise. "I am sorry for your loss, though. Princess Kamui and Prince Corrin seemed like pretty awesome people."

Camilla chuckled. "They were the most awesome people I know." Oh, she hated speaking of them in the past tense. "Selena? Do you think they're out there somewhere?" There was still a possibility that the twins were still alive; their deaths hadn't been confirmed after all.

"They could be," was Selena's reply.

Camilla heard the footsteps of another person approaching. It was Leo, but he didn't seem as upset as earlier. That was good. "Ah, Camilla. I didn't expect to see you here," he said.

Camilla smiled at Leo. "Well, here I am, obviously." She noted Brynhildr in his hands. "Come to train, hm?"

Leo nodded. "I need to get stronger, especially with the invasion coming up. What happened at the canyon made me realize that I still have much to learn." The way he said it, it sounded like Leo blamed himself for the twins' disappearance. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He turned to leave.

Camilla hated seeing any of her siblings in such agony. "Leo, none of what happened was your fault. Please don't blame yourself."

Leo clenched his fists. The burning look was back in his eyes. "I'm the one who studies battlefield tactics; I should have come up with a stronger plan to protect them. I failed them, okay? I'm sure that there was something I didn't do that would have saved them."

"Leo…" Camilla swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Do you think Kamui would want you blaming yourself like this?" She was well aware of Leo's attachment to the elder twin, even though she'd never confronted him about it. And now was definitely not the time to bring it up, but maybe talking about Kamui would help Leo open up.

That was a mistake. Leo paled, and Camilla saw a flash of pain in his eyes. "Don't- don't speak her name."

Camilla sighed. Leo seemed to have the most negative emotions bottled up out of all of them. "Sorry, Little Brother. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset!" Leo countered vehemently.

"Mhmm. You keep telling yourself that, dear. But I'm here for you if you need to talk, just like when you were little."

Leo glanced away. "W-whatever. I'll be going now." Aw, he was so adorable when he got flustered. He left to go train at the other end of the training grounds.

By some miracle, Selena had the sense not to interrupt the siblings' conversation. Camilla turned to her. "Please don't mention this conversation to anyone," she ordered.

"Heh. Don't worry, Lady Camilla. I'm the best at keeping secrets!"

Camilla sighed. This day had been difficult for all of them. She wished she could stop the pain they were going through, but she just didn't know how. _Don't think such things,_ she chided herself. _Kamui and Corrin would not want you to be depressed like this. You have to keep it together for the rest of the family._ Well, Camilla would keep it together all right, but as soon as she could make the Hoshidans pay for what they took from her family, she would not hold back. Oh, they would be sorry.


	7. Enchanted Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queen Mikoto calls for a meeting to announce the return of Kamui and Corrin. Unfortunately, things take an unpleasant turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: major character death in this chapter. (But if you know the game, then you already knew this was coming. It's still super sad though!)
> 
> So I'm technically posting this one day ahead of my "schedule." Tomorrow is going to be really busy for me, so I wanted to do it tonight. (I'll be honest: I don't know how well I'll follow said schedule, but I promise I'll keep updating regularly.) Thanks for reading!

The day of the ceremony was sunny, a good omen. Today was the day that Queen Mikoto would publically announce the return of Prince Corrin and Princess Kamui. Azura was happy for the good news, but she worried about how Corrin and Kamui would take it. The twins were good-natured people, but they still had reservations about being welcomed so quickly into the Hoshidan royal family. Azura couldn't blame them, really. They had been lied to their whole lives. It was enough to drive anyone mad. Azura found herself pacing in the gardens, trying to make sense of all of it.

"Lady Azura, are you all right?" Kaze brought her out of her thoughts. The ninja appeared out of nowhere, as usual. Azura was glad that he watched over her. He was a good man.

"Oh, I'm fine, Kaze. I was just lost in thought. Thank you for asking," she told him.

Kaze bowed his head. "Of course, milady. It is my honor to serve you."

Azura giggled. "Oh, Kaze. It's just us. Please just call me Azura." They'd known each other since they were children, and Azura did not want him just seeing her as his liege. She wanted a friendship- or maybe even something more than a friendship.

Kaze sighed. "Milady- Azura, I will do my best. But it will be difficult to break the habit. It has been engrained in me since I was a child."

Azura smiled encouragingly. "Oh, I believe you can do it."

"Well, if that's all, I'll leave you to your thoughts… Azura." It was sweet how he said her name. It warmed her heart. Normally he was completely confident, but he sounded so flustered. Azura couldn't help but find it cute.

He was gone before she could say anything else. Azura knew he was nearby, though, always watching from the shadows.

Azura joined the rest of the family in the throne room.

Queen Mikoto was already speaking with Corrin and Kamui. "… I'd like to make a public announcement about your presence here, Kamui and Corrin. There have been rumors circulating about spies from Nohr infiltrating the castle. I would like to quash those rumors once and for all." She turned to Yukimura, their tactician. "Yukimura, is everything ready?"

"Yes, milady. People are beginning to gather at the plaza."

The queen asked Takumi, Hinoka, and Sakura to give the twins a tour of the plaza. She turned to Azura. "Azura, do you mind going with them as well?"

Azura smiled, looking forward to seeing Corrin and Kamui's reactions. "Not at all. It would be my pleasure."

Kamui beamed at her. "Thank you, Azura." Kamui seemed much happier now than when she had first arrived in Hoshido. Her cheer was infectious.

"Of course, Kamui," Azura giggled.

Takumi crossed his arms across his chest. "Hmph," he grunted. He seemed to be in a more sour mood than usual today.

Sakura smiled at her older siblings. "I can't wait to show you around! I think you'll l-love it here."

"Thank you, Sakura. A guided tour sounds like a great idea," Corrin said.

The plaza streets were crowded with people and vendors selling all kinds of food. An old woman selling roasted potatoes offered some to Corrin. He liked them so much that she gave him seconds.

"Well, thank you very much! Here you go, Azura." Corrin gave her the potatoes without second thought.

"Thank you, Corrin." She tried a bite. The spices were great, but not overpowering. "Mmm, you're right. This is delicious."

Kamui was thrilled to explore the plaza. "Everyone is really friendly here," she observed. "And it's so… bright… and open. It's quite a contrast from the fortress we grew up in, right, Corrin?"

Corrin nodded. "This is a wonderful place."

Their excitement warmed Azura's heart. "I'm glad you like it. Like I said, I've always been happy here."

Takumi angrily interrupted their conversation. "Just don't get too comfortable, _sister_ ," he sneered at Kamui.

The gray-haired princess was taken aback. "Pardon me?"

"I don't trust either of you. Shouldn't you be heading back to Nohr soon?" Takumi taunted.

Corrin frowned, and Kamui paled at his words. That was going too far.

"Takumi…" Azura began.

He snapped at her next. "Hey, who said you could call me by name? You haven't earned that privilege either."

Azura flinched. Takumi had always been cautious around her, but this was outright rude! It wasn't her fault she'd originally come from Nohr!

Corrin shook his head. "That doesn't even make sense."

Takumi rounded on him now. "Excuse me?"

Corrin was not intimidated by Takumi's gruff manner. "Azura has been in Hoshido for as long as we've been gone. Shouldn't that be enough to consider her part of the family?"

"I don't care," Takumi hissed. "I don't trust any of you. I just wanted to tell you that to your face." He stormed off before anyone could say anything. That was probably for the best.

Sakura tried to calm the unpleasant mood. "I apologize for Takumi's rudeness. He's a bit of a hothead," she explained, mostly to Corrin and Kamui. "Anyway, how'd you like to try a sweet rice dumpling? It's a Hoshidan specialty!"

Kamui perked up at that. "I'd love to. Thanks, Sakura!"

Corrin was thoughtful. "You know, I'm very close with a girl in Nohr who's around your age."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Sakura asked.

Kamui burst into giggles. Corrin glared at her. "Stop laughing, Kamui! It's _not_ funny." Corrin tried to elbow her, but she dodged it.

Before anyone could ask what Kamui found so funny, Hinoka called them to the plaza for the ceremony.

Citizens gathered all over the plaza, their eyes on Queen Mikoto, Princess Kamui, and Prince Corrin. The queen and her children stood in the middle of the plaza, by an ancient statue. The queen began addressing her people, but then something completely unexpected happened.

Corrin had his sword in its scabbard, but it began to glow with a purplish hue. Then, the sword flew out of its scabbard into the hands of a hooded figure, who had been hidden in the shadows. He- Azura assumed he was a man- was glowing with a similar purple hue. Her breath caught in her throat; she had seem something similar before. Before anyone could really react, the man thrust the sword into the ground.

_Boom!_

There was a large explosion centered around the sword. Citizens went flying and stopped moving. Then, shards went flying at Kamui and Corrin. Kamui pushed Corrin to the ground, but couldn't dodge the shards herself. Queen Mikoto was suddenly in front of Kamui, taking the blow for her. Azura heard her scream. The queen fell into Kamui's arms.

Kamui held her mother tightly. "Mother!" she screamed. The queen wasn't dead, was she? Azura hoped not. Aunt Mikoto was one of the last living relatives Azura had.

Sakura was panicking. "Mother… Mother!" She tried to hurry to her mother's side, but Ryoma held her back.

"You there!" Ryoma yelled at the hooded man. He slashed the figure with Raijinto, but the person vanished. "Show yourself!" Ryoma challenged.

Azura's attention returned to Kamui when she let out an inhuman scream. Light exploded around her, and her human body began to change, growing larger and more scaly.. In an instant, the transformation was over. Where Kamui had been, there was now a feral dragon. Her scales were silver, with a blue stripe down her neck and belly. Her horns looked like silver antlers. She was beautiful to behold, but extremely dangerous. Azura gasped. So _this_ was what Queen Mikoto had foreseen. Princess Kamui could actually transform into a dragon.

Corrin stumbled away from his enraged sister, shock written all over his face. "Kamui!" he gasped.

The dragon roared and sent several of the strange enemies flying without effort.

Takumi gasped. "What is _that_?"

It was Ryoma who answered. "It's an ancient dragon. I never thought I'd see the day…"

Azura noticed several of the enemy forces carried a unique type of sword. "Kamui!" she shouted. She didn't know if Kamui would understand her, but she had to try. "A word of warning, if you can hear me. Watch out for enemies carrying Wyrmslayers! They're a type of blade designed to pierce dragon scales- and they work!"

"Be careful, everyone!" Ryoma warned. "These enemies are no mere Faceless. One wrong move and they're perfectly capable of ending you. I hope we can count of Kamui even in this new form…"

Azura turned her attention to Corrin. "Corrin, are you all right?" she asked as he stumbled over to the royals.

He held his arm at an awkward angle. "I think I sprained my wrist," he winced. "But other than that, no injuries." He looked at the dragon. "Will Kamui be okay? I never knew this could happen…"

Sakura hurried over to tend to Corrin's injury. "I hope she can calm down," she said.

The group rallied together and went after the enemy soldiers. Like the man who had caused the explosion, these people also glowed with an unearthly purplish tint. Azura didn't want to think about it, but she knew that these people were possessed by an unseen enemy, lurking in the shadows. She would have to wait until after the battle to think about the implications. Her mother's warnings could be coming true.

The hooded man appeared at the far end of the plaza, as if out of thin air. Ryoma charged after him, engaging in single combat with the enemy.

The rest of the Hoshidans fought the other soldiers in the plaza. Even as a dragon, Kamui was a fierce warrior and defeated many enemy soldiers in her rage. They just had to keep out of her way. Unfortunately, Corrin didn't have a weapon, so he was stuck using some spare daggers from Kaze and Rinkah; he'd never used daggers before, so this would be interesting. Azura wasn't very proficient with a lance, but she assisted the others as much as she could. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Even if Corrin and Azura struggled with their weapons, they would still fight to protect themselves and their loved ones.

 Soon they had defeated all of the enemies, except for Mikoto's murderer. The mysterious man fled as soon as more Hoshidans arrived to join the fight.

Azura figured they would have pursued the murderer, if they didn't have more pressing matters at hand. Kamui was still out of control. She roared and didn't show signs of calming herself down. In this state, she could very well attack friend as well as foe.

"Kamui!" Corrin yelled. "Kamui, snap out of it!" He was at a complete loss as to what to do for his sister.

Azura hoped that the magic of her mother's song and pendant could help Kamui. After all, this was their purpose: calming feral dragons. "You are the ocean's gray waves…" She began to approach Kamui as she sang. Her mother's pendant glowed blue and began to lift into the air. Azura could feel a magical barrier forming around her.

"Azura! No! Stop!" Ryoma yelled. He sprinted to stop her, but the magical barrier around her stopped him.

Azura spared him a glance, then continued on to Kamui. She started the song over. "You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach…"

Kamui reared up on her hind legs and roared again.

Azura kept on singing. "Yet the waters ever change…"

Kamui hit Azura with her claw, sending the songstress falling to the ground. Azura couldn't help but cry in pain.

"No!" Sakura screamed.

Kamui growled and loomed over Azura.

"Kamui, stop!" Corrin shouted. "Don't hurt Azura!"

Azura continued the song, even though she was collapsed on the ground and in great pain. "Flowing like time, the path is yours to climb…"

Faster than lightning, Kamui grabbed Azura's neck with her claw, pinning her down to the earth. The burst of courage Azura had earlier left her. She was going to die. And at the hands of a kind woman driven mad with rage. Azura touched Kamui's strong claw with her hand. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

But no, she would not allow this. The kind woman Azura had gotten to know was somewhere in  that dragon still. She refused to believe that Kamui was gone, replaced by this terrifying dragon. All Azura wanted was for Kamui to return to herself again. If Azura had to die for that to happen, she would welcome death.

"Kill me if you want, but… do it as yourself," Azura whispered to the dragon.

To Azura's relief, Kamui released Azura's neck and reared back. Light and droplets of water surrounded her as her body transformed back into its human form.

Kamui clutched her head, gasping. "Ugh… I- I finally remember! I remember…" she managed to say.

Corrin hurried over to his sister. He knelt by her side. "Kamui! Stay with me, please."

Kamui trembled, not focused on the people around her. "My real father…" she whispered.

Azura join Corrin. "Are you all right, Kamui?" she asked timidly. She rubbed her bruised throat, but tried to not draw attention to her injuries.

Kamui focused on her gaze and came back to the present. "Yes, I'm fine." She rubbed her arm and frowned. "Just disgusted with myself. Are you okay?" Her voice trembled. "I can't believe what I just did to you. It was like… I had no control over myself." Her face was deathly pale as the situation dawned on her.

"Please don't worry about it," Azura told her gently. "That wasn't you. It was the blood of the ancient dragon that runs in your veins." Now was definitely the time to give her the Dragonstone.

Corrin pulled his sister into a tight embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay. I thought I'd lost you."

Kamui returned her brother's hug. "I'm so sorry, Corrin. I had no idea that could happen. I don't even know _what_ happened. It's just when M-Mother-" She didn't finish her statement and sobbed into her brother's shoulder.

Azura felt tears fill her own eyes. The gentle queen who had been a mother-figure for her was dead. Now she only had two blood relations alive, and they were weeping in each other's arms over the loss of their mother.

Eventually, Kamui's tears subsided, and she began asking questions again. Those were good signs that she was getting under control again. "Azura, you said I have dragon blood, but I thought only the Nohrian royal family had dragon blood. So how…"

Ryoma answered the question. "The blood of the Dusk Dragon runs in the Nohrian royal family. And the blood of the Dawn Dragon runs through ours. But you're special, Kamui. You can actually take the form of a dragon."

"I've heard of such a thing. But this is my first time seeing it in real life…" Azura observed.

Kamui shook her head. Azura noticed her hands were shaking. "Never mind me. What happened to all the innocent people in town?" She seemed to see the ruined plaza for the first time. Tears filled her eyes. "I can't believe this. The entire town… devastated. An hour ago these streets were filled vendors and children and…"

"So you see, Kamui," Ryoma noted. "This is the work of the Nohrians. This is what they do."

Azura didn't completely agree with that statement, but there was no way she could share what she suspected. They would just think her crazy if she shared just enough information. And if she told them everything, then she would be cursed to vanish. And they'd still probably think she was insane.

"Let me guess, Corrin," Ryoma continued. "That sword you carried… was it a gift from King Garon?"

Corrin released his sister and turned to the high prince. "Yes."

Ryoma shook his head. "He masterminded the whole thing. It's not your fault. He knew you'd be captured and brought before the queen…"

"By why?" Kamui murmured. "Why would he do this? I'm so sorry I couldn't see it coming…"

Takumi had been quiet the whole time, but he snapped. "Your apology means nothing!"

Kamui flinched, and Corrin gave Takumi a flat look.

"This is all your fault!" Takumi ranted. "Mother is dead, along with countless others. And it wouldn't have happened if the two of you hadn't shown up on our doorstep." His accusing finger pointed at the twins. "You don't belong here!"

Corrin audibly inhaled. Kamui just looked like she was going to be sick. Azura hated seeing them so distraught. They truly weren't to blame for what had happened.

"Enough, Takumi!" Ryoma chastised the younger prince.

 "Your words don't change anything," Azura defended the twins. "And besides-"

Takumi glared at her with blazing eyes. "Shut up, Azura! You're no different than Kamui and Corrin. An interloper."

Well, Azura didn't know how to respond to that, so she said nothing. Usually he wasn't so cruel to her, but his grief was making him lash out at everyone for anything.

Corrin tried to stand up for Azura. "Takumi…"

"Don't speak my name," Takumi snapped. "I don't want to see you again." He crossed his arms. "Are we really to believe you had no idea this would happen?"

Hinoka gasped. "Takumi, what are you saying? Knock it off! You just saw Kamui and Corrin help us defeat those Nohrian soldiers!"

Azura tried to calm Takumi again. "Takumi, please. You must listen. Corrin and Kamui are your siblings. If you don't trust me, that's one thing. But they are your own blood." Couldn't he see that his actions would only push the pair away from their family? That would only bring more unnecessary suffering.

Takumi ignored them. "Mother is dead. Thanks to _them_." He pointed his finger directly at the twins. "They are not my siblings."

Both Kamui and Corrin winced at those words. "I'm so sorry, everyone," Kamui mumbled. "I've brought nothing but pain to all of you. It would be better if I'd never come here." She sighed. "And now we know that I'm a monster. Maybe I should just leave."

"Kamui…" Corrin whispered. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides. "You're not a monster. This isn't your fault. I'm the one who brought that stupid sword here. I'm the one who should leave."

Yukimura arrived then. He held up a hand at the twins. "Please wait. I don't believe that's what Queen Mikoto would have wanted."

Takumi crossed his arms. "What do _you_ know about it, Yukimura?" He would even be rude to his mother's tactician. He was not handling this well.

Ryoma was curious. "What do you mean? Did she say something to you?"

Yukimura sighed and pressed his hand into his forehead. "I hate to deliver this news, but… Queen Mikoto foresaw her own death. This isn't your fault, Kamui, nor is it Corrin's. King Garon set these events in motion. And the queen speculated that there may be an even darker force at work. She didn’t know when or how death would strike, only that it was certain."

Azura was _positive_ that darker forces were at work here; she just didn't know how to let everyone else know.

"And there's another thing," Yukimura added. "Please take a look at that statue."

There was a half-destroyed statue in the middle of the plaza. Now that it was not longer intact, Azura could see a golden sword stuck in the middle of the statue.

Corrin approached the statue. "Is that… a sword?"

"It can't be…" Ryoma breathed.

Azura didn't know what it was, but the sword must be important.

Yukimura explained. "It is the divine sword Yato. Much like your weapon, Ryoma- the divine Raijinto. And your Fujin Yumi, Takumi. Yato chooses its wielder. It is said that the Yato was forged to be the key to peace in our world."

"The key to peace…" Kamui murmured.

There was sudden a flash of light. Azura gasped as the Yato itself divided into _two_ swords. One of them flew into Corrin's hand, the other went to Kamui. The two swords began to glow.

"Wha-" Corrin gasped.

"The sword, it- it split!" Kamui wondered. Her red eyes were wide.

"I've never heard of such a thing in any lore. I didn't know the Yato could duplicate itself or split, or whatever just happened," Yukimura said. "My only guess is that the Yato chose both of you to work together to bring peace to our world."

"The blade chose _both_ Kamui and Corrin?!" Ryoma breathed.

"Impossible!" Takumi grumbled.

"Kamui, Corrin! Do you know what this means?" Hinoka asked.

Kamui's blade shook in her hand; she was still shaking like a leaf.

Corrin just held his weapon in wonder. A slow smile crept onto his lips.

Sakura tilted her head. "Are you listening? Can you h-hear us?" Neither one of the twins responded.

The Yato had chosen its wielders, whatever that meant. Perhaps Kamui and Corrin were the heroes they needed to defeat the darkness from another world that threatened to destroy their own. Azura would have to tell the twins all of the truth now, even if it cost her own life.

Kaze raced into the plaza and knelt before Ryoma. "Lord Ryoma! I have important news. A massive Nohrian force is gathering at our border."

Ryoma swore. "This is the final straw. I have worked hard to avoid an all-out war, but now… Death is too good for them. Who's with me?"

Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura were quick to voice their support. Neither Kamui nor Corrin said anything. They were probably still in shock. Or perhaps… they weren't planning to support Hoshido… But no, that would not bring peace, so they wouldn't choose that, right?

The others left, and only Azura, Kamui, and Corrin remained in the plaza.

"There must be another way," Corrin said. "Surely the answer is not more bloodshed. But, Kamui, I feel we must follow Ryoma to the border… If we can help avert total war…"

Kamui nodded. "The last thing I want is for the people I love to fight each other."

Azura had to speak to them now or never. "Wait, Kamui! There's something you need to know. Corrin, you probably should know this, too, because I suspect you also have the ability to transform into a dragon."

"Wha-" Corrin cleared his throat. "Why would you think that?"

Kamui shook her head. "I think I'm the only one cursed to be a monster. Corrin won't share my fate," she insisted.

"You're not a monster, Sis," Corrin countered. He turned to the songstress. "What is it you want to tell us, Azura?"

"Well, it was something your mother told me before she died. She asked me to give both of you these." Azura pulled the Dragonstones out of her pouch. "If you become embroiled in a fight right now, it would be easy to lose control, Kamui. Your dragon blood could take over again. And if you yield completely to the dragon, you may lose your humanity altogether," Azura began.

Kamui paled. "Is there anything I can do? Is this-"

"Yes. This is called a Dragonstone. It was allow you to control the dragon's power and still return to your human form. Now, both of you, close your eyes…"

"But how do you know Corrin needs one?" Kamui insisted. "I'm the only one who transformed."

Azura sighed. She needed to be patient with Kamui's inquisitive personality. "Your mother had the gift of foresight. She asked me to give one to each of you. Perhaps Corrin can learn to transform with the aid of his Dragonstone."

"It's fine, Kamui. Let's just do as she says," Corrin cut in.

Kamui sighed."Very well…"

Both of them closed their eyes, hiding their ruby irises from the world. Azura released the Dragonstones and they levitated in front of the twins. The stones flared with light around Kamui and Corrin.

Kamui opened her eyes and cradled her stone in her hands. Corrin eyed his curiously.

"There. You should both be okay now," Azura said. "Your Dragonstone is now attuned to you. Be sure to keep it safe. It can only help you if you keep it with you at all times."

"Thank you, Azura," Corrin said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kamui smiled, but the worry was still clear in her eyes. "This is a generous gift, thank you. I really appreciate it, Azura." Kamui pulled Azura into a warm embrace.

Azura was not used to getting so much praise and affection. "Oh! Um…" she spluttered.

Kamui giggled. "I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable? I know we've only know each other only a short while, but I feel close to you." She took Azura's hands in her calloused ones. "You already risked your life to help calm my dragon form. I only hope I can repay the favor someday."

Corrin smiled. "Get used to the praise. You are a true friend, Azura."

Azura was touched by their sincerity. She didn't deserve to know these two wonderful people. "Thank you, Kamui  and Corrin. I feel close to both of you as well. I feel… safe when I'm with you. I wish to keep you safe, too. That's why I'm coming with you to face Nohr."

Kamui paled at the thought. "That's right! We'd better hurry, then. I'm worried about what will happen."

"Thanks, Azura," Corrin said with a smile. "Your support means so much to me."

Azura just hoped she could help her new friends with the chaos they were about to face. She hadn't had the chance to tell them about the Silent Kingdom, but she hoped she could soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter from Azura's point of view was definitely interesting. This chapter in the game is more focused on the avatar's reaction to Mikoto's death, so I wanted to see things from a different angle. And Azura plays a pivotal role during this chapter, so I found her perspective fun to write.
> 
> And I'm sorry for all the pain for the Hoshidan royals. Mikoto's death breaks my heart!
> 
> And I hope the idea of having two Yato's isn't too weird. More about that will be explained in future chapters.


	8. A Dream Fulfilled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Hoshidan and Nohrian armies face off at the plains of Hoshido, Kamui and Corrin are forced to make a difficult choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a good amount of canon dialogue in this chapter, but I tried to make it flow well.

It was Kamui's worst nightmare come true. She remembered her dream about the Nohrians and the Hoshidans arguing over who their real family was. She had hoped with all her heart it would not become reality, but it had. Orochi and Azura had mentioned that her mother had premonitions; perhaps Kamui and Corrin had inherited that ability.

They arrived at the Hoshidan plains with the Hoshidan troops, who were ready to defend their country. It was a nice day, Kamui noted. The sun was shining, the grass was green, and the sky was clear. Too bad battle was most likely about to happen.

The Nohrian army approached them from the other side of the field. Xander was mounted on his stallion, his sword, Siegfried, drawn. His eyes scanned the Hoshidan forces and focused on Corrin and her. He gasped. "Kamui, Corrin! You're alive!" He'd probably thought they'd died, Kamui realized. "They haven't harmed you, have they?"

It felt like _ages_ since Kamui had last seen her older brother. Well, he technically wasn't her brother, but she still considered him family. "Xander!" Kamui called. "I'm fine." Well, Kamui wasn't physically harmed, which was probably what he meant. She couldn't answer for Corrin, though.

"Why are you invading Hoshido, Xander?" Corrin called out, ignoring Xander's question.

"Father says it's time to show our true strength. Join us, and we'll end this quickly. If we conquer Hoshido here and now, we can avoid unnecessary bloodshed," Xander explained.

Kamui felt cold at thought of bloodshed and conquering Hoshido, but she was warmed that Xander still wanted them to come back to Nohr, even though they weren't actually Nohrians. She figured that if the Nohrian royals hadn't known the truth before, they did now. She did wonder how long they had known the secret of the twins' origins.

But was she supposed to make her decision here and now?! Her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins. She swallowed. "Xander… I- I need a minute," she replied. She loved people in both Nohr and Hoshido. She knew what her heart told her to do, but she might end up losing Corrin.

Corrin didn't say anything. But Kamui was pretty sure she knew what he had decided.

Ryoma joined them. "Be careful, Kamui," he called to her, since she was the one approaching Xander. "That man is a Nohrian commander!"

Kamui looked back at her older brother sadly. "Ryoma…" she whispered.

"Kamui! Corrin!" she heard a familiar voice shout. Her eyes searched for the speaker. Camilla was on her wyvern, purple hair flowing behind her. "I was so worried about you. Don't ever wander away from me again!" _As if we just wandered off_.

Kamui's eyes met Leo's. "I'm glad you're both okay," he called out. "You must have the devil's own luck!" Kamui couldn't help but smile at that; it was something he frequently told them.

Elise was overjoyed. "Yaaay! We got our brother and sister back!" It was as if someone had given her the best birthday present ever.

Kamui could feel the relief from her Nohrian family. They must have worried so much about them. And she was glad to see them again; she'd missed them so much. She just wished they weren't reunited under the current circumstances.

Their Hoshidan family was not pleased by the Nohrians' familiarity with Corrin and Kamui. Hinoka flew her pegasus closer. "Nohrian scum!" she shouted. "First you kidnap them, now you lied them?! Kamui and Corrin are _my_ younger siblings, not yours!"

Kamui trembled. It was exactly like her dream had been. Now it was a nightmare brought to life.

"You are mistaken," Camilla countered. "Kamui is my sweet little sister, and Corrin is my adorable little brother. You may not have them."

Ryoma stepped in. "Don't be fooled by their words. You belong with your true family in Hoshido!"

Kamui saw the pain in Xander's eyes. "We have loved you and raised you since you were children. Come home! We can live as a family once more!"

"Come home to Hoshido!" Ryoma shouted.

"No! Nohr is your home!" Xander yelled.

The Nohrian royals and Hoshidan royals continued their argument over who was Kamui and Corrin's "true" family. Kamui closed her eyes and tried to tune their voices out.

Now was the time to decide. Kamui was certain that Corrin would defend Hoshido. It would make sense, since Hoshido was focused on peace, and Corrin wanted to protect the weak and the innocent. The king of Nohr hadn't treated them very well, either.

 But Kamui was at a loss as to what she would do. If she stayed with Hoshido, she would choose the path of peace and remain with Corrin and her blood family. If she chose to go to Nohr, she would be reunited with the people she knew and loved. But she would lose Corrin. Either way, she was going to lose people she loved. She didn't know if her heart could take it, but she didn't see any other way. _You can't always walk the same path as Corrin,_ she realized. She would choose love. Love for Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise. Love for Nohr. Her heart started racing as she made a choice she had never wanted to make.

"I know what I must do," Kamui said. She knew that Corrin would be furious by her decision, but her heart would not allow her to do anything else. And her heart had never led her astray before. She walked over to the Nohrian siblings.

"Kamui, what are you doing?!" Corrin shouted.

She took a deep breath and looked at her twin, her other half. "I'm going back to Nohr, Brother." She hoped that he didn't hear how her voice trembled.

His red eyes widened in shock. "What?! What are you saying?" he gasped. Kamui heard outraged cries from their Hoshidan siblings.

She closed her eyes and tried to steady her nerves. "I am going home, Corrin, to Nohr," she repeated slowly.

Corrin was flabbergasted. "How- how can you do that after everything that's happened? Can't you see that King Garon is evil, Kamui?! He's tried to have us killed multiple times in the last week, and because of him, our mother is dead!"

Tears began to stream down Kamui's face, but she kept her voice steady. "I know all that. But I _love_ our family in Nohr, Corrin! I can't leave them; my heart won't allow it."

Corrin's eyes narrowed in anger. He clenched his Yato in his hand and stormed over to her. "How can you be so _selfish_? The Yato chose _us_ to bring peace! How can we have peace if we're not on the same side? You're letting your emotions blind you, like always! You're going to ruin _everything_!"

Each jab felt like a stab to her gut. Yes, she knew there would be terrible consequences for what was decided on that field that day, but she couldn't do otherwise.  She also knew that Corrin thought he was doing the right thing, choosing the side of justice; she didn't fault him for it.

"Corrin, I respect your decision to defend Hoshido." It was obvious now that this was his choice. "Please respect my decision to return to the only home I know," she pleaded. "And if you're concerned about me having part of the Yato, you can keep my half. I don't care; I didn't even want it anyway. A monster cannot bring peace to the world," she whispered mostly to herself at the end. She dropped her Yato on the ground and stepped back.

The golden glow of the sword dimmed as she did so. Corrin stared at it for a moment before taking the blade in his hands. "No," he murmured. "This sword is bound to your soul, Kamui. It would be pointless for me to have a sword that no one but you can wield." He offered her the sword again.

He was right, loath as she was to admit it. She reluctantly took it back from him. The golden glow returned as soon as it brushed her fingers. Why the Yato had chosen her, she did not know. She felt the least worthy of having that honor, especially since she was choosing the join her home country's enemy. "Fine, I'll keep it," she muttered. "Goodbye, Brother. I love you, and I'm so sorry," she whispered that last part. She couldn't hold back the warm tears that rolled down her cheeks. They left a salty taste on her lips.

The Nohrians and Hoshidans had remained silent through their whole exchange, giving the twins a chance to work this out between the two of them. Or perhaps everyone was still in shock. Kamui was mortified that she had argued with her dear brother in front of both the Hoshidan and Nohrian armies.

Ryoma was the first to respond to what had happened. "Kamui, you can't possibly mean this! Open your eyes! Can you not see how vile those Nohrians are? They're hateful fiends who wish to trample Hoshido! They killed our mother!" Ryoma was just ranting now, but Kamui understood where he was coming from. "You are a princess of Hoshido! You are my sister! They are to blame for you not growing up with us as you were meant to. Do you truly mean to fight for those who stole you away?"

Kamui forced herself to meet her older brother's gaze. "Ryoma… My sorrow is beyond words." She wiped away her tears, her resolve hardening. "Still, I simply will not abandon the only family I have ever known."

"You did the right thing, little princess," Xander said. Then he confronted Corrin, who had gone back to the Hoshidan army. "Corrin, don't tell me you're siding with Hoshido." His voice was dangerously cold.

"I'm afraid so. I've made up my mind- I stand with Hoshido! King Garon doesn't care about us. He was willing to sacrifice our lives in pursuit of his agenda. Kamui, Xander, don't be blind to the truth. Garon is no longer human. He's pure evil," Corrin answered.

 Xander looked as if Corrin had slapped him. "Father… evil?! How could you say that, little prince?"

_Careful, Corrin,_ Kamui pleaded silently. If Corrin continued on this line of argument, the only thing he'd do was antagonize Xander further. And that would not be good.

"I've witnessed enough of Garon's destruction. Causing an explosion in a crowded city center with no regard for innocent life. That's the action of a madman!" Corrin retorted. "I can't believe Kamui is deliberately ignoring the truth." Corrin's eyes met Kamui's, pleading for her to come back.

Ryoma gave the orders that made Kamui's blood run cold. "Everyone! Attack Kamui! I will not allow you to return to Nohr until we've settled this on the battlefield, Sister."

Unnecessary violence was the last thing Kamui wanted. And she knew that despite their different paths, Corrin felt the same way. "Ryoma! Please don't do this!" Corrin begged.

Xander was of a similar mindset about Corrin. He moved to attack their younger brother. "You're a traitor, Corrin. I never thought you would turn your back on your kingdom and your family. Your betrayal will not be forgiven. You want to side with Hoshido? Fine. Over my dead body!"

"Both of you, please stop this madness!" Kamui pleaded. "Xander, I beg of you. Let it go for now. We must return to Nohr right away. There has been enough senseless death on this day… Please don't hurt Corrin…" Tears began to fall down her cheeks again. Despite her best efforts, she was powerless to stop the fighting. She tried to hold Xander back, but he just brushed her aside in his anger.

Leo pulled her back from the princes' duel. "I'm afraid retreat is not an option," he said coldly.

Kamui pulled out of his hold on her arm and turned to face him. "Leo? Why would you say that?" she gasped. _This really isn't necessary…_

"If we retreat, they'll think we fear them," Leo explained. "Or worse, that we coerced you into joining us. This is our chance to prove beyond a doubt that you chose us of your own volition. We have no choice but to stand our ground and fight! And this is our chance to convince Corrin to come back." His eyes hardened with resolve.

Kamui was going to reply, but then she saw Xander knock the Yato out of Corrin's hands. Corrin fell to his knees, completely at Xander's mercy. "No! Corrin!" she breathed. She tried to run to her fallen brother's aid, but Leo held her back. "Leo, let go of me!" she hissed. She tried to wiggle out of his arms.

Leo only tightened his hold on her. "You'll only get hurt if you run out there right now, Kamui," he told her sternly. "You heard Prince Ryoma's orders."

Kamui swallowed past the lump in her throat. "But Corrin…"

Leo sighed. "You said you respected Corrin's choice. He has to face the consequences of his decision." He paused. "And we just got you back; we're not losing you again. I'm sorry, Kamui."

Elise patted Kamui's arm. "It's going to be okay, Big Sister," she insisted. Her bright violet eyes shined with hope. "We'll get Corrin back." She didn't seem to understand that Kamui's concern was more along the lines of Xander _killing_ Corrin.

_Perhaps if I used my Dragonstone…_ Kamui didn't allow herself to finish that thought. The memories of her draconic rage from earlier flashed through her mind. If she transformed now, maybe she'd be able to protect Corrin, but she could lose control again. It was best not to risk it. Kamui choked back her tears. She and Corrin had come here in an attempt to prevent bloodshed between Nohr and Hoshido. And thanks to her choice, they had failed. And now she could only watch in horror as Xander attempted to bring Corrin back to them by force.

* * *

 

This was turning out to be the worst day of Corrin's life. Not only had he lost his mother, but now Kamui had turned against him, and Xander seemed intent on killing him. Corrin did his best to block Xander's powerful blows, but Xander attacked with a strength he hadn't used against Corrin before. This was even more intense than when Corrin and Kamui had tried to protect Rinkah and Kaze from Xander's blade.

Then Kamui was on Xander's arm, trying to pull him back. She pleaded for him to stop, but Xander just shoved her away. _Get out of here, Kamui. I don't want you to get hurt,_ Corrin pleaded silently. With the way Xander was attacking, he could easily injure Kamui without even meaning to. Corrin was hurt by her betrayal, but he didn't want harm to come to her. To Corrin's relief, Leo pulled their sister away to safety.

Since Kamui had distracted Corrin, Xander easily knocked the Yato out of his hands, and Corrin fell to his knees. Xander held Siegfried's point to Corrin's throat. "You have been deceived, Brother," Xander growled. "They've clearly brainwashed you. I will not rest until I've returned you to your senses." Xander raised his blade. "Get up! Get up and return to Nohr with me. Surely there's some part of you that still remembers your true family."

Corrin met Xander's fiery gaze without flinching. For a moment, he imagined that he could return to Nohr. He could continue sparring with Xander, playing chess with Leo, practicing the cello with Camilla, and playing tag with Elise. And he'd still have Kamui to support him. _We could be a family again._ The offer was tempting, but he knew deep down that the Nohrians' actions were wrong and against the peace that he so desired. Even if Kamui had chosen Nohr, there was no way Corrin could go back, regardless of how he felt about his Nohrian siblings. "Brother, my mind is made up."

Xander's eyes narrowed in even greater fury. "If that's the case… I will end this quickly." Xander raised Siegfried in preparation to slash Corrin.

"Wait!" Corrin cried out, holding an arm in front of himself in a pathetic attempt to shield himself. _I can't believe this is the way it ends…_ But Corrin would follow his chosen path, even if it killed him.

"No! Xander, stop!" he heard Kamui shriek. Xander paid no heed to their sister's pleas. Corrin half expected her to throw herself between him and Xander's blade. _Gods, please don't let her do something stupid._ His eyes flashed to his twin sister. This was probably the last time he'd see her. Both Leo and Camilla were keeping her from dashing out into the middle of the battlefield like a madwoman. _Please take care of her._

Just when Corrin was certain that he'd be gutted by Siegfried, Ryoma came to his defense. He blocked Siegfried with Raijinto. The two eldest princes exchanged blows. "Just try it, Nohrian scum," Ryoma hissed.

Corrin figured that a nonviolent solution wasn't probable at this point, but he had to try anyway. "Ryoma! Please we can settle this peacefully," he pleaded.

"What's wrong, Corrin?" Ryoma demanded. "Lost your focus? Tossing your sword aside and dying as a martyr won't do any good."

"Fiend!" Xander roared. "If you seek to take my brother from me, I won't go easy on you."

"Oh, why don't you spare _me_ the chitchat?" Ryoma countered. "Shut up and attack, if you dare!"

"A splendid idea. All forces, attack!" Xander ordered.

"Warriors of Hoshido… prepare for battle," Ryoma commanded.

Hinoka guided her pegasus to Corrin's side. "I'll be your shield, Corrin. They won't kidnap you again," she promised.

"Thank you, Sister." Corrin got to his feet and readied his Yato again. "We've got to help Ryoma," he decided. "I've spared with Xander many times, so I already know what his fighting style is like. If we band together, we can overwhelm him."

Hinoka nodded. "Let's get this over with, and then we can get Kamui back."

A familiar voice made Corrin's head turn. "I made it, Lord Corrin! Is everything okay?" It was Felicia. It felt like forever since Corrin had seen her. She still wore her maid's outfit, and her pink hair was pulled back in its usual ponytail. Even with the chaos happening around them, she still managed to smile.

"Felicia?" Corrin shook his head. "No, we're far from okay. But there's no time to explain. Your timing is terrible. What are you doing here now?" The last thing he needed was having to face off with the young maid who had been a friend to him since they were children. She was Nohrian and therefore his enemy now.

Felicia gasped. "How can you say that? I've been looking for you all this time! So has Jakob, but he went to find Lady Kamui." _Jakob and Felicia, they didn't give up on us…_ "Anyway, I'm here now, and I'll stand by your side!" Felicia insisted.

Corrin smiled sadly at her. _She must not know that I've chosen to fight against Nohr._ "Felicia, I appreciate your devotion, but you must know that I've decided to defend Hoshido. I no longer fight for Nohr."

Felicia held her head high. "I stand with you, milord," she insisted. "I swore to serve you, so I will follow you whatever path you choose." She pulled out her daggers and stood next to her liege.

"Felicia… thank you. I can't tell you how much your support means to me," Corrin said. She was the only person from his life in Nohr that still stood by his side. And she might not be great at domestic work, but Corrin had seen her wield those daggers expertly before in his defense. She would be an asset for them today.

* * *

 

After full-out fighting had broken out,  Camilla took Elise with her and left Leo with Kamui. Knowing that Ryoma would protect Corrin calmed Kamui down, and Leo eventually relaxed his grip on her. He mounted his steed and pulled out Brynhildr. "We're going to cover the south end of the field. Are you ready, Sister?" he asked.

Kamui glanced up at him. "Leo, I'd prefer to avoid facing Corrin right now," she admitted. "But I'll help out anywhere else on the battlefield today."

Leo nodded. "We can manage that."

Kamui smiled up at him sadly. "Thanks."

Avoiding Corrin was simple, since he was still locked in the combat between Ryoma and Xander. Avoiding Takumi was a different story altogether. He stepped out from behind a cluster of trees, his Fujin Yumi ready for battle. "I knew it would come to this. From the moment we met, I knew you couldn't be trusted and I was right," he growled as he confronted her.

Even though he had treated Kamui terribly, he was still her family, and it hurt her to face him. "Takumi… Please, let me explain." _I don't want to be your enemy._

"I have no time for your empty words," He snarled. "Ryoma and the others were fools. I knew trusting a Nohrian would only lead to death and heartbreak." His fists clenched around his bow. "But I am not Ryoma, nor my siblings. I won't make that same mistake. I shall take great joy in slaying you here and now like the traitor you are!" He held the Fujin Yumi at ready and a glowing arrow materialized.

Kamui's breath caught in her throat.

_Arrows…_ Kamui had always feared archers, even from a young age. It was part of the reason she loved using tomes. Her mind flashed back to the memory she'd regained during her dragon transformation. Now she understood that this was the root of her paralyzing fear of arrows…

  _Corrin and Kamui were little kids sitting on a cobblestone street. Their father was standing in front of them, facing a large group of archers._

_"Fire at will," a cold voice commanded._

_Kamui pushed Corrin into the ground, shielding him with her body. "Corrin, don't look!"_

_A flurry of arrows shot at the children and their father._

_She should have heeded her own advice. She watched in horror as Father stood as a shield for them and all of the arrows shot into his body. Father cried out in pain._

_A younger King Garon approached the fallen king. "I'm disappointed in you, Sumeragi. That wasn't even my best trap." He slashed at Father with his battle axe. Kamui heard Father scream and his body collapsed onto the street._

_"Kamui… what's happening?" Corrin whimpered._

_"Sh. Papa is hurt," Kamui explained in a hushed tone._

_"You poor things," Garon said. He had noticed the twins._

_Kamui met his gaze, but didn't let Corrin up._

_"Orphaned at such… a tender young age. You are my children now." Garon reached for Kamui and…_

"Pay attention! Are you trying to get killed?" Leo yelled at her, bringing Kamui's mind back to the present. Takumi had released an arrow aimed straight at her head. That was what had made her think of the incident at Cheve. And now there was nothing she could do to avoid the deadly speed of the arrow. Leo blocked the attack at the last moment with Brynhildr's magic. "I know you hate arrows, Kamui, but you can't freeze up like this!" Leo shouted at her.

Kamui was still frozen in place, pale and trembling. She'd almost been killed by her own brother. If it hadn't been for Leo… _Snap out of it! You can't let everyone else risk their lives for you!_ Kamui forced her body to move, to raise her Yato against Takumi.

"You monster!" Takumi screamed at her. His eyes blazed with fury. "I don't care if you're my sibling; I will _kill_ you for what you've done."

Takumi shot another arrow at her. She tried to dodge, but it seared through the flesh of her left arm. She cried out in pain.

"Don't you dare hurt her," Leo hissed.

Trees sprang from the ground below Takumi and torn at his body, just as Kamui hit him hard with the flat side of her sword. Takumi fell on the ground, unconscious.

Leo's hand glowed with magic, ready for the finishing blow.

Kamui couldn't just stand there and let her brother die. "Leo, please don't kill him," she begged. "I can't stand any more death today." Her shaking legs gave out, and she fell to her knees. _It seems I can't even stand anymore,_ she thought wryly.

Leo met her gaze. His eyes were full of worry. He lowered his hand and refrained from casting his spell. He dismounted from his stallion and hurried to her side. "Kamui, are you okay?" He helped her get to her feet again.

Kamui felt the tears come again. She tried to hold them back; crying in the middle of the battlefield was a really bad idea. But the shock from the last few days caught up with her, and she started sobbing into her hands.

She felt Leo pull her against him. "Kamui, are you injured?"

Kamui clenched her teeth in an effort to regain control of herself. "Just a scratch on my arm," she managed to choke out. "It's not bad. It just stings a little." At the moment, it was more important that she wasn't seriously injured. Never mind that her heart was broken. Despite her best efforts, she still wept into Leo's shoulder.

Leo gently rubbed her back. "I need to get you out of here," he murmured. "Can you walk?"

Kamui pulled away. "Y-yeah, I'll manage." She would have to. Being weak like this was a danger to both of them right now. She had to be strong.

* * *

 

Hinoka swore. "Looks like that viper that calls herself your sister is here," she observed.

Corrin followed her gaze and saw Camilla descending on them fast, her battle axe ready. Her purple curls flowed out behind her. "Tell me this isn't really happening, my sweet Corrin! Won't you come back to Nohr with us and Kamui?" Her eyes were wide and pleading. Corrin knew that all of the Nohrian royals loved him and he felt terrible for having to leave them like this. But protecting Hoshido was more important than even those relationships.

"No, Camilla, I'm not coming back," Corrin told her. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Camilla shook her head. "I can't believe it. Well, you leave me no choice, dear." She swung her axe at Corrin, but it just nicked his armor. Perhaps Corrin lacked Kamui's ability to dodge attacks, but he could take more hits than she could.

"Nohrian scum!" Hinoka snarled. "Don't you dare attack my brother!" Unfortunately, she fought with a lance, so Camilla would have the upper hand.

But it wasn't just the royals involved now. Camilla was flanked by her two retainers, Hinoka's retainers also came to her aid, and Corrin had Felicia. Five against three seemed like pretty good odds. Corrin noticed Elise mounted on her horse, just a ways back from the actual battle. Two retainers guarded her. Okay, so maybe it was five against six.

One of Hinoka's retainers, an archer, shot an arrow that pierced the wing of Camilla's wyvern. The wyvern roared in pain. The retainer gasped. "Ooh, look, Lady Hinoka! There's a butterfly!" Her attention changed from the battle to her surroundings in an instant. It was a little unnerving, just like one of Kamui's mood swings.

Hinoka let out a frustrated breath. "Setsuna, we're in the middle of battle right now. Try to stay focus."

"But it's so pretty…"

"I'll handle the archer, Lady Camilla," a red-headed woman said. She held the sword in her hands expertly.

Hinoka came to Setsuna's aid. "Not a chance! Corrin, you and your friend take care of those monsters; I'll keep this one busy. Azama, get ready to use your festal."

Corrin sighed. He really did not like hearing Hinoka call Camilla a monster. And he didn't know the wyvern rider who accompanied Camilla, but it seemed unfair to call her a monster as well. He'd have to have a talk with Hinoka about that later.

"We can do this!" Felicia encouraged. She turned to Camilla. "Sorry, Lady Camilla, but I won't let you hurt Lord Corrin." Corrin couldn't stop his small smile; Felicia apologizing to her enemies on the battlefield was endearing. It seemed like something Kamui and he would do.

Camilla swung her axe at Felicia. "Sorry, darling, but enough chitchat. Corrin is coming home with me!" Corrin leapt in the way and blocked Camilla's attack just in time.

While Camilla was distracted, another arrow from Setsuna hit her wyvern. Corrin swung his Yato at Camilla, but missed as the wyvern reared back.

Camilla's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Time to play!" she called out and hit Corrin _hard._

Corrin was knocked back onto the ground. He grunted. His armor had taken the blunt of the blow, so he wasn't bleeding externally, but his whole body felt like it had been bruised. The wind had been knocked out of him. Corrin hadn't realized before how _strong_ Camilla was. Of course, they'd never actually faced off on the battlefield before.

Felicia stood over him, guarding her liege with her life. "Lord Corrin, I'll cover your retreat. We need to get you to safety, so I can heal you." Corrin had forgotten that in addition to wielding daggers, Felicia also knew how to use healing staffs. However, she wouldn't be able to defend themselves and heal him at the same time.

One of the wyverns roared in pain. Corrin looked up and saw that Camilla's wyvern riding retainer was down. Hinoka had also managed to disarm the mercenary.

"Get out of here, Corrin," Hinoka insisted. "You need healing. Go find Sakura. I'll hold these Nohrians off." Corrin wanted to stay and help, but he knew with his injuries, he'd just get in the way.

Before he was able to leave, he watched as Setsuna managed to hit Camilla in the right shoulder with a well-aimed arrow. Camilla cried out and fell off of her wyvern.

"Camilla!" Corrin gasped, reaching out to her.

Felicia helped the fallen prince to his feet. "Lady Elise is here to heal her; she'll be fine, milord," she reminded him. "Now, let's go get your injuries treated."

* * *

 

Kamui wiped away her tears and picked up her Yato again. She couldn't rely on Leo to come to her aid as if she was a helpless damsel in distress. Even if it broke her heart, she would fight to protect herself and those she loved.

Kamui noticed an enemy samurai approach from behind Leo. "Look out!" she yelled. She pushed Leo out of the way and blocked the enemy's blow with her Yato.

"How dare you break Lady Sakura's heart," the woman hissed. "You're coming back to Hoshido, whether you want to or not." She seemed vaguely familiar…

"Hana?" Kamui asked. Was that her name?

"Don't act like we're friends. You've shown your true colors," Hana's voice was cold.

"I'm sorry, but I can't return to Hoshido," Kamui told her. She blocked Hana's next attack with her Yato.

Trees sprang up under Hana, but she quickly got out of the way. The distraction was enough for Kamui to knock the sword out of her hand. Hana reached for her dropped sword, but Kamui stood in the way.

She pointed Yato's blade at Hana's throat. "Surrender, and I won't kill you," Kamui said. She was proud that her voice didn't tremble in that moment.

"I'd rather die!" Hana snarled.

Kamui was not going to let that happen. She knew that Hana was very dear to Sakura. An injury would force her to go find Sakura. Kamui cut Hana's cheek with her sword. Blood ran down the samurai's face. "Go to Sakura. She needs you," Kamui ordered. "Run!"

Hana looked confused, but she turned and ran away. Hopefully Sakura could fully heal her injury.

"Kamui! Leo!" Xander called out to them. Kamui looked in the direction of his voice. He charged towards them on his mount, Siegfried in hand. "We've had a lot of casualties, so we're pulling back. Camilla's down, but Elise is tending to her. We're meeting up west of here."

_We've lost?_ Kamui worried that she really would be dragged back to Hoshido against her will.

Leo placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll make sure Kamui gets to safety," he promised Xander.

Xander nodded. "Good. Take care, little princess." He rode off to another part of the battlefield, probably to inform the others about their retreat.

Leo guided Kamui to his horse. After he was in the saddle, he reached down to her. "Give me your hand. You can ride behind me."

Kamui took his hand and allowed him to help pull her up into the saddle. She sat behind Leo and wrapped her arms around his waist so she wouldn't fall.

"Ready?" Leo asked.

"Yeah."

Leo spurred his horse into a gallop, and they rode in the direction Xander had pointed them in. Kamui was going home to Nohr, but she was leaving so much behind in Hoshido. She didn't even try to hold back the tears that fell down her cheeks this time.

* * *

 

Even with Felicia and Sakura's administrations, Corrin was ordered to spend the night in the infirmary. Takumi had also been severely injured in the battle, so he was also quarantined there.

"What happened to you, Takumi?" Corrin asked after his younger brother had come to.

Takumi grunted. "That demon of a sister of yours and that weedy bookworm teamed up against me." _He must be talking about Kamui and Leo._ "They got away this time, but I'll make sure they're _dead_ next time we cross paths."

Corrin winced. The last thing he wanted was for Kamui or any of his siblings to be killed.

"What's your excuse?" Takumi asked.

"Camilla got me," Corrin admitted.

"Uh, I don't know the names of those Nohrians," Takumi replied.

"She's the wyvern rider with curly purple hair," Corrin explained. He sighed. "I need to train harder so that this doesn't happen again in the future."

"Trust me, I'll be out there training as much as possible," Takumi commented. "I _have_ to get stronger."

A thought came to Corrin's mind. "Hey, Takumi?" Corrin asked.

"What is it now? I thought we were done talking," Takumi grumbled.

"How about we train together? And maybe we could team up in the battles to come," Corrin suggested. "I think an archer and a swordsman would make a good team, don't you?" And Corrin wanted to get to know his younger brother better, as well.

Takumi rolled onto his side facing away from Corrin. "We'll see. I need to get some sleep right now, though." It was clearly a hint to leave him alone.

"Okay. Good night, Takumi," Corrin said. The day's events kept playing through his mind, but Corrin's body was so exhausted that eventually he slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

 

Kamui was relieved to hear that all of the royals from both sides had survived the battle. She would have been devastated if anyone she loved had been killed. Xander and the others had not managed to capture Corrin, so Kamui was going back to Nohr without her twin brother. The Hoshidans had also sustained many casualties, so the Nohrian army wasn't being pursued at the moment.

Elise tended to Kamui's injury as soon as they were reunited. Kamui breathed a sigh of relief when the stinging left her arm.

After the Nohrian army set up camp for the night, Kamui approached her siblings outside of Xander's tent. "Brothers, sisters, there's some things I need to tell you," Kamui announced.

All four of them gave her their attention. "Feel free to tell us anything, little princess," Xander said gently.

Kamui's heart raced. She appreciated their support beyond anything she could express in words, but she still didn't quite know how to tell them what had happened in the plaza. Corrin and Ryoma had both mentioned it earlier, but the Nohrians didn't know the details. She at least had to tell them about her Dragonstone. She pulled the pulsing blue stone from her pouch.

"Wow, what's that, Big Sister?" Elise gasped. "It's so pretty."

Leo was intrigued. "I can sense a lot of magical power from it," he observed.

Kamui took a deep breath. "This, is my Dragonstone," she began.

All of her siblings look baffled, but they didn't interrupt her.

"Earlier, when Moth- when Queen Mikoto died, I learned something about myself." _Don't think about Mother right now,_ she told herself. "I can turn into a dragon."

Elise's eyes widened. "What? Really?! That's so cool!" Of course she would be excited about this.

Xander was less enthusiastic. "This isn't some sort of joke, is it? I've never heard of any living manaketes."

Kamui shook her head. "I wish it were," she said ruefully. "But I kind of freaked out after Mikoto was killed, and I transformed." She focused on the warmth pulsing from her Dragonstone. "This Dragonstone is supposed to help me control myself."

Elise was practically bouncing up and down. "Ooh! Can you transform right now? I want to see you!"

Kamui's horror at the thought must have been clear on her face. "Elise, don't push her," Camilla chided. "She can show us when she's ready."

Elise frowned at the ground. "Okay."

Kamui tried to smile at her siblings, but it felt forced. "Perhaps someday I will. To be honest, I don't know if I ever want to transform again." She shuddered. "It was awful," she whispered.

"And the Hoshidans know, don't they?" Leo asked.

Kamui nodded. "I'm pretty sure that Corrin can also turn into a dragon. Apparently we both have really strong dragon blood," she revealed. _But Corrin didn't turn into a monster like I did_ , she added as an afterthought.

She knew that she should probably tell them the details about what had happened to Corrin and her in the last week, but she just couldn't do it then. "If it's okay, I'm going to retire for the night. I'm pretty exhausted."

Xander placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for confiding in us, little princess. This is a lot to take in. We'll support you any way we can."

Kamui pulled him into a tight embrace and buried her face in his chest. "Thank you, Big Brother," she whispered. Xander hugged her back and stroked her hair.

Elise embraced both of them. "Group hug!" she squealed.

Camilla also hugged Kamui, and even Leo joined in the siblings' hug. Kamui relaxed into their warmth and smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. This was where she belonged. Even if they weren't blood related, Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise were her family; they loved her, and she loved them. Nothing could ever change that. She pushed aside the ache in her chest when Corrin crossed her mind and just focused on the love of the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we've come to the branch of fate. So I originally wrote this chapter only from Kamui's point of view. But then I wrote Corrin's perspective as well, and this chapter got a lot long than I originally intended it to be. I couldn't really take anything out, though, so here it all is. I hope that the switches between Kamui and Corrin weren't too abrupt. Since everything was going on at the same time, I wanted to keep events mostly in order.
> 
> And I want to say I'm sorry to all of the characters for breaking their hearts. I just think the branch of fate chapter is really sad, regardless of which path you choose.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I really appreciate the kudos and comments, everyone!


	9. Nighttime Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Nohrian army retires for the night, Kamui struggles with her separation from Corrin and has some interesting encounters with members of the army.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wrote this chapter about a month ago, but decided on Wednesday to rewrite the whole thing. (I don't know why I thought that was a good idea, but oh well.) Anyway, I suppose this is more of a filler chapter, since it doesn't really move the plot along, but we get more insights into Kamui's reactions and emotions, so I think that's important. (Also, I like writing fluff here and there. Well, this chapter has fluff and angst, but you get the idea.)
> 
> From here on out, I plan to separate the chapters between Kamui and Corrin, so we won't see Corrin in this chapter. (He'll be back soon, though!) Thanks for reading, and I appreciate kudos and comments :)

Kamui struggled to adjust the white nightgown Camilla had lent her. "Camilla, are you sure you don't have anything less… revealing?" Like most of Camilla's wardrobe, the nightgown showed a bit more of her bosom than Kamui would have liked. She didn't seem to have many other options, though. The last thing she wanted to do after the long day was sleep in her filthy armor.

Camilla tittered. "Sorry, darling, but I only brought the two nightgowns for the trip. And I can't have you wearing any of the servants' clothing; only the finest will do for my sweet little sister."

"I'd lend you my clothes, but we're not the same size at all, Big Sister," Elise put in.

Kamui patted her little sister's head. "Yeah, I know. Camilla and I aren't exactly the same size, either." She sighed. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't be complaining. I am grateful that you're letting me borrow your clothes, Camilla. I don't want to sleep in the armor I've been wearing all day."

"But of course, darling. Anything for my adorable sister." Camilla smiled. "Besides, I think it looks lovely on you, even though it might not fit you perfectly."

Elise giggled. "Yeah, you're always super pretty, so don't worry about it. And it's just us sisters, so it's not like you'll be wearing it in front of anyone." That was true. The three sisters had already retired to their tent for the night. Camilla and Elise had both wanted to share a tent with Kamui, so they ended up sharing one tent between the three of them, which Kamui was just fine with. She didn't want to sleep alone tonight.

Kamui shook her head. "Seriously, Camilla. I don't understand how you're not embarrassed wearing stuff like this all the time," she commented before she could stop herself. As she said the words, she realized how rude that sounded.

Camilla just laughed. "Oh, you'll get used to it."

"No offense, Camilla, but I don't really think this is my style."

Camilla grinned. "We'll see. We still haven't introduced you to the court yet."

Elise perked up at that. "That's right! And maybe we'll find you a husband, Kamui!"

Kamui flopped back on her blankets and groaned. "Elise, getting married is the last thing on my mind right now. Camilla and Xander are both older than me, so go pester them about it."

"But you haven't met anyone at court yet, so maybe it will be love at first sight," Elise insisted.

Kamui sighed. "Elise, I appreciate your optimism, but I highly doubt that's going to happen." As a teenager, sure she'd dreamed about things like love at first sight, but right now romance was the least of Kamui's worries. Today especially had reminded her how painful love was.

Camilla tugged on her arm. "Darling, let me brush your hair before you go to sleep. It will help you relax for the night." She could probably sense Kamui's uptightness.

Kamui obliged. "Okay. Let me do your hair when you're done." She sat up and took her headband out of her hair.

Camilla's brush strokes were gentle and soothing. Kamui enjoyed the sensation of the tug on her scalp. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Unfortunately, the day's events still haunted her, and she couldn't forget what had happened. First, it had been the explosion of Ganglari in the plaza, resulting in Mother's death. Then, Kamui had lost control and practically turned into a monster, almost killing Azura in the process. And then she had left Corrin and abandoned her birth family. Corrin's betrayed expression continued to taunt her every time she closed her eyes. Finally, Takumi had almost killed her, which had triggered her memories of Cheve. She was happy to be reunited with her Nohrian siblings, but this day was probably one of the worst she'd ever had.

Kamui felt Elise's warm arms wrap around her shoulders. "Big Sister, why are you crying?" Kamui opened her eyes and wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks. She hadn't even realized she'd been crying.

Kamui returned Elise's hug and sniffled. "I- I miss Corrin," she managed to say, before she started sobbing. And it wasn't just that she missed him. Kamui was a horrible sister because she had betrayed her twin brother today. Corrin always had her back, and in return she had basically stabbed him in the back. Camilla and Elise just held Kamui while she wept.

Eventually she pulled herself together and managed to stop sobbing like a small child. Kamui was horrified to see that Camilla and Elise had also been crying, albeit not as hard as she had. "I'm so sorry," she whimpered. "I didn't mean to make you sad."

"You don't need to apologize; you haven't done anything wrong," Camilla told her gently. She still probably didn't understand what Kamui had done today.

Kamui shook her head. "No, I did a lot of terrible things today." She didn't want to elaborate though.

Elise pouted. "But you chose to come back to us. That's not a terrible thing, right?"

Kamui gasped when she saw tears begin to fill her younger sister's violet eyes. "Elise, being reunited with all of you was the best thing that happened to me today. And I don't regret my choice to return to Nohr with you." She released a shaky breath. "I love all of you too much. I could never willingly leave you."

Elise gave her a tight hug. "Aw, I love you so much, too, Big Sister! Hey, I know! Let's get some sleeping potion from the healer's tent, so you can sleep tonight."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Camilla agreed. "It's been a rough week for all of us, so I might take some as well." Now that Kamui looked closer, she noticed the dark bags under both of her sisters' eyes. They must have been sick with worry.

Kamui hugged Camilla again. "I'm sorry it was a rough week for you as well, Sister."

Camilla stroked her hair. "It's not your fault, dear. Now, come on. Let's go get that potion."

Elise led the way to the healer's tent, and Camilla refused to let go of Kamui's hand. It was as if they thought she would disappear again if she left their presence.

Walking around an army camp was a new experience for Kamui, and she was fascinated by how people were still going about their tasks, even though it was nighttime. She smelled a campfire and listened to the murmur of soldiers talking amongst themselves. She was still not used to being around so many people; at least that had changed for her and Corrin.

People stared at the three sisters, but it seemed they were mostly interested in Kamui. It was probably because she was so unknown and mysterious to the people of Nohr. She was a Hoshidan princess raised in Nohr, who had been captured by Hoshido and decided to return to Nohr. Kamui wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the men seemed especially interested in her. _They're only interested because I'm a novelty. Nothing more than that,_ Kamui reassured herself. She'd never thought of herself as one to turn eyes.

The healers were all too happy to assist the princesses, and the three girls soon left the tent.

"Sisters, I'm surprised to still see you up," a familiar voice called to them as they returned to their tent.

"Hey Big Brother!" Elise called and turned to their sibling.

"Leo!" Kamui grinned at seeing her little brother again.

For some reason, Leo stiffened and glanced away when she turned towards him. His cheeks reddened. "Uh, Kamui? What exactly are you wearing?"

Kamui glanced down and gasped as she realized that she had paraded around camp in Camilla's revealing nightgown. "Oh, gods! I'm so sorry, Leo." She placed her hands on her chest, trying to cover up a little more. Her face felt warm. _Well, of course the men would stare when you're dressed like this!_ Kamui wished she had been more insistent on wearing some servant's clothes instead. It was too late for that now.

Camilla chortled, as if it was all just a big joke to her. "What, you've never seen your sister in a nightgown before, Little Brother?"

"It's undignified," Leo retorted. "Kamui, I know you've been isolated most of your life, but people don't wear their pajamas in public."

"I'm not stupid, Leo. I know that," Kamui snapped. "Can you stop making such a big deal about it? I didn't bring a change of clothes with me, so I'm borrowing Camilla's nightgown tonight."

"Doesn't it look stunning on her?" Camilla interjected.

Leo's cheeks got redder. "Ugh. Camilla, this isn't some sort of game. As a princess of Nohr, Kamui should be wearing the proper attire in public."

"Says the prince who wears his collar inside out?" Kamui asked snidely. If he was going to get on her for her blunder, then she would remind him of his own.

Of course that got Leo more focused on his own appearance, rather than criticizing hers. "Ugh, don't tell  me that it's inside out again?!"

Kamui giggled. "No, you're fine, Brother. Just remember that it's undignified for a prince of Nohr to dress that way in public."

 "That was only once," Leo muttered.

"Once in the last week, you mean," Kamui commented. "Although, I haven't been around you much this week, so who knows how many times it's happened. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm not the only royal who messes up their appearance in public."

"Big Brother, you better be nicer to Kamui," Elise ordered. "We just got her back, so stop being such a grouchy pants."

Leo sighed. "Point taken. I'm going to retire for the night, so if you'll excuse me." He strode off before any of the sisters had a chance to respond.

Kamui watched him leave sadly. "Is Leo mad at me?" she asked quietly. After having five siblings get angry with her today, she was extra worried that she would upset her remaining family.

Camilla put an arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. You haven't done anything wrong. As Elise put it, Leo is being a grouchy pants tonight. He just needs to get some sleep, then he'll be more pleasant in the morning." Kamui hoped that was the case. She couldn't bear upsetting anyone else.

* * *

 

The sleeping potion helped Kamui fall asleep, but it didn't help her stay asleep. The nightmares came and, with them, more insomnia. She awoke in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat and gasping for breath.  Her heart was racing.

Corrin's harsh words from her last nightmare lingered in her mind: "Kamui, how could you abandon me? How could you turn against your own family? You're a monster!"

 _Yes, you are a monster_ , she thought. _You almost killed Azura and you turned your back on your twin brother. You didn't protect an innocent nation._

Kamui buried her face in her hands and sobbed. She cried for her lost brother. She cried for her blood family in Hoshido. She cried for the mother she never knew.

Elise stirred. "Big Sister, what's wrong?" she asked sleepily.

Kamui wiped away her tears, embarrassed that she was crying for the third time that day. "I just had a nightmare, but I'll be fine now. Go back to sleep."

Elise looked like she wanted to say more, but her sleepiness won; she curled up in her blankets again and was fast asleep.

Kamui wrapped a purple blanket around her shoulders for warmth and modesty, then slipped out of the tent. Perhaps a walk would help clear her mind.

The night was chilly but clear. They were already in the middle of November, so winter was fast approaching. No one seemed to be awake, but Kamui knew there had to be people on guard duty. She looked up at the stars as she walked, awed by their number and simple beauty. It brought back memories of sneaking outside late at night with Corrin to look at the stars. Now they wouldn't do that anymore. She hastily wiped away the tears on her cheeks and pulled herself together. _Don't think about that right now._

Instead, she thought of a memory that was still pleasant, but it didn't involve Corrin as much. It had been a few years ago now, but Kamui remembered how excited she had been about the meteor shower in a nearby meadow. And clever Leo had come up with a plan to sneak the twins out of the fortress for a few hours, just so her silly wish would come true. All had been well, until she stupidly fell into the river and got lost in the forest with Felicia. Then after all of the chaos of that day, Xander and Leo came to their rescue. (They made Corrin stay behind at the fortress, which Corrin had been livid about.)  And then, she'd had the opportunity of watching the meteor shower on her way back to the castle. It left her in awe and took her breath away. As exciting as the rest of that day had been, that was one of the memories she cherished the most.

Kamui felt a little like that now, watching the stars from their military camp in Hoshido. There wasn't a meteor shower, but she could easily see hundreds of stars tonight. After leaving the fortress, she was still surprised by how big the rest of the world was. It was wonderful to finally be able to enjoy it.

"You shouldn't wander around camp without an escort, princess," a male voice said.

Kamui turned to the speaker and narrowed her eyes. "Hans." She hadn't realized that he was with the Nohrian army, but she supposed it made sense.

"Milady, allow me to escort you back to your tent," he sneered.

"That won't be necessary. I won't have you escort me anywhere, especially after you killed Gunter, and tried to kill Corrin and me," she hissed. Normally she thought she was pretty amiable with people, but this man just seemed to always bring out the worst in her. She had to fight the urge to make him suffer for what he had done to her. _I could easily transform and take him out here and now. Then, he wouldn't be able to cause any more harm._ Kamui was surprised by these violent thoughts; usually she tried to avoid violence at all costs.

"But I was only acting on the king's orders," Hans insisted. "I'm just a soldier following my liege's commands."

Kamui was hyperaware of the Dragonstone in her pouch. It seemed to be pulsing with energy, begging her to use it. She wrapped her fingers around it, trying to calm herself down. "If you have orders to kill me, then are you going to do it now?" She wouldn't put it past this murderer to make another attempt on her life, even though she had shown to loyalty to Nohr. He was a despicable human being.

"Things have changed, and King Garon will want to see you," Hans replied. "Besides, I don’t really want to be gutted by Siegfried." _He's such a coward, hiding behind the king's name._

"You're right; Xander would gut you if you made another attempt on my life. But I will not be taken down without a fight, so you've been warned," Kamui said coolly. She turned to leave.

"What would a little mouse like you do, if Prince Xander wasn't around to protect you?" Hans taunted.

Kamui whirled around and glared up at him. "I swear to you, Hans. If you try to harm either Corrin or me again, I will personally kill you," she threatened. She had never killed anyone before and she couldn't believe those words had just left her mouth. She was horrified when she realized that she meant every word of her threat. _What is wrong with me?_

"Heh. You're pretty fiery for a peace-loving princess," Hans commented. "I bet it's all just empty words." Those were fighting words.

 _Is he stupid? I partially transformed into a dragon for the first time because of him. He saw what I'm capable of._ Kamui breathed deeply to dispel her anger. "Enough of this. Please never approach me again unless the situation demands it." She hurried away before she did something stupid.

She wandered to the edge of camp and sat down on her blanket. Her Dragonstone was still pulsing with suppressed power. She pulled it out of her pouch. Was it just her imagination, or did it seem warmer to the touch than earlier? Now that she was focused on the rhythm of her stone, it seemed to actually pulse in time with her heartbeat. _It is attuned to my soul, so I guess it shouldn't be too surprising._

Kamui closed her eyes and tried to focus on calming her inner dragon. Her mind flashed back to the plaza and Azura's song. She had helped tame the monster in Kamui, when nothing else worked. The melody of the song still lingered in Kamui's mind. She didn't remember the words, but she started humming it to herself. Her body started to relax, her heartbeat slowed down, and the Dragonstone stopped pulsing with energy.

"That's a lovely song," a male voice commented.

Kamui startled. She hadn't heard anyone approach. She turned to look at the speaker.

He was a tall man with wavy gray hair and a bright smile. He was still dressed in his armor. _Probably one of the guards._

"May I help you?" Kamui asked politely. She really wanted to be alone right now, but she didn't want to seem rude.

"Ah, fair Lady Kamui, allow me to introduce myself." The man placed a hand over his heart and bowed formally. "My name is Laslow, and I am  one of Lord Xander's retainers." He winked. "He didn't tell me his sister was such a lovely maiden."

Kamui flushed at his flattery. "A pleasure to meet you, Laslow," she replied formally.

"May I join you for a moment?" Laslow asked.

Kamui nodded, and he took a seat next to her on the grass. "What brings a beautiful lady here at this time of night?" he asked.

"Who, me?" Kamui laughed nervously. "You flatter me, Laslow."

Laslow leaned in closer. "Yes, you, my dove. You are a treasure among women, a goddess, an angel," he whispered with a small smile.

Kamui's heart beat faster. Was Laslow _flirting_ with her? "Um… thank you, I guess." _Gods, I don't know how to flirt. I don't even know if I want to flirt. What do I do?_

"Would my lady like to join me for a cup of tea in the morning? I find it a great way to get to know new people," Laslow asked. Was he asking her on a _date_ now?

Kamui jumped to her feet. "No, thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have some royal business I need to attend to." _'Royal business?' What kind of excuse is that?_ It was certainly a pathetic reason to leave, but Kamui was desperate to escape this awkward conversation. She even left her blanket behind on the grass in her rush to get away.

It seemed that wherever she went, all sorts of people would approach her, so Kamui decided it was best to return to her tent. It was chilly outside without her blanket around her shoulders, but she didn't want to deal with Xander's odd retainer. She ran between the tents so she wouldn't have to be out in the cold for as long.

"Kamui!" a familiar voice called out.

She turned to her brother. "Xander!"

Xander frowned and approached her. "Camilla, Elise! I found her!" he yelled. He turned to Kamui. "Little princess, whatever are you doing running around camp alone in the dark?"

Camilla and Elise dashed over to them. Elise threw herself into Kamui's arms. "Big Sister! I'm so glad you're okay. When I woke up, and you weren't there, we were so worried something had happened to you!" she wailed.

"Elise-" Kamui began.

"Sweet Kamui, don't scare me like that! It's not safe for you to wander around without an escort," Camilla lectured.

Kamui ground her teeth as she remembered the last person who had told her she needed an escort. "I'm perfectly fine. I just went out to get some air and-"

"Lady Kamui!" That was Laslow's voice. _Has he been chasing me? Where do my siblings find these crazy retainers?_ The mercenary jogged over to the royals. "You forgot your blanket, milady."

Kamui snatched it back and held the purple blanket against her chest. "Thank you, Laslow." _Even if he's a little strange, I can at least be polite to him._

Xander's eyes narrowed. It was an expression similar to the one he'd worn when facing Corrin today. "Laslow!" he growled. "What do you think you're doing with my sister?!"

Laslow quailed under Xander's glare. "N-nothing, Lord Xander. I was simply returning her blanket-"

"Why were _you_ in possession of her blanket?!"

Kamui flinched at the anger in Xander's voice. "Xander, he didn't do anything wrong."

"Kamui, dear, you don't understand," Camilla began. "You've been isolated for so many years, so you're still innocent to the ways of the world." Her eyes narrowed. "And we know Laslow."

"Everyone! Will you please let me explain?" Kamui interrupted. _This is getting way too out of hand. I can't stand anymore fighting today._

By some miracle, Xander and Camilla stopped yelling and gave her their attention.

"This is all just a big misunderstanding. I couldn't sleep, so I left the tent for a few minutes, then went to watch the stars. I met Laslow, and we chatted for a bit. Nothing more, okay?" Kamui told them. Perhaps she'd left out some details, but she didn't want Laslow to face Xander and Camilla's wrath. "Xander, Camilla, I appreciate your concern, but is it really a crime to speak with me?" _I won't tell them that I think he was flirting with me as well. That wouldn't be good…_

"Darling-" Camilla began. Kamui knew that she would be treated like a child who didn't know any better again.

"Don't you trust my judgment? I'm not a child anymore," Kamui reminded her older siblings. "I can make my own decisions about who I associate with." _I am so tired of everyone telling me what to do and how to live my life._ Kamui knew deep down that they meant well, but her irritation clouded her reasoning.

Camilla's shoulders fell. "I'm sorry, Kamui. I just want to make sure you're okay. We lost you once and we're not going to lose you again. Please don't put us through that again." She pressed her hand over her heart.

Xander sighed. "You're right, little princess. You are old enough to make your own decisions, but please be careful. We'll sleep better at night if we know where you are. I'll let you off the hook this time, but please inform one of us of your whereabouts."

"If it makes you more at ease, then I'll do that," Kamui consented. "I'm sorry for worrying all of you."

"I was keeping an eye on your sister, Lord Xander," Laslow said. "She was singing such a beautiful song that I found myself drawn to her, like a moth to the light."

Kamui flushed. He was really overdoing it with the flattery. "I wasn't really singing," she admitted. "I was just humming to myself is all."

Xander rubbed the crease between his eyebrows with his knuckles. "Laslow, as attractive as you may find my sister, if I hear you speaking about her that way again, I'll put you under house arrest for a week."

"Of course, milord," Laslow stuttered. "I don't wish to invoke your wrath. My apologies, Lady Kamui." He gave her a polite bow again.

Something about what they'd said lingered on Kamui's mind. "I'm attractive?" she asked, confused.

Elise had been quiet during the argument, but leapt at the opportunity to praise Kamui. "Of course you are! You're one of the most beautiful people I know."

Camilla burst into giggles.

"What's so funny, Camilla?" Kamui asked.

"You're so oblivious that it's adorable," Camilla tittered. She pinched Kamui's cheek. Her grin widened. "I can think of several men who find you _very_ attractive, Little Sister."

Kamui felt her cheeks grow warm. "Now you're just teasing me, Camilla."

"Oh, I'm not, dear sister," Camilla assured her. "They're just a little shy to tell you how they feel."

"Ooh! Big Sister Camilla, you've gotta tell me who you know likes Kamui!" Elise begged. "I'll help them get over their shyness, but only if they're good enough for my big sister."

Laslow couldn't seem to take a hint. "Would you mind telling me what makes a man good enough for Princess Kamui?" he asked innocently. "I'm just asking for a friend," he added hastily, when Xander glared at him again.

"That's enough of this discussion," Xander decided. "We have a lot of traveling ahead of us tomorrow, and we should get as much sleep as we can."

"Camilla, tell me who likes Kamui," Elise whispered in her older sister's ear, as the sisters returned to their tent.

Camilla patted the younger girl's head. "I think that is a tidbit I'll keep to myself for now. I don't want to upset anyone. But if you're observant, I think you can figure it out."

"Elise is on the case!" the youngest princess announced. "Don't worry, Kamui; I'll figure out who likes you! Ooh, and maybe I can get Odin involved!"

"Um, Elise… that's not really necessary-"

"Oh hush, of course it's necessary!" Elise interrupted. "One of them could be your true love, after all."

Kamui sighed. "Elise, what did I tell you about finding suitors for me?"

Elise giggled. "Sorry, but I'm not listening to you this time! I have a good feeling about this!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of turned into a chapter about Kamui's (potential) love life. Whoops! Sorry there isn't more Kamuleo, but I promise there will be more in later chapters! (After all, Elise is going to enlist Odin to figure out who likes Kamui, and Camilla is already dropping hints about her suspicions. Hehe.)


	10. Bonds of Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of Kamui's betrayal and Queen Mikoto's death, the Hoshidans prepare to defend their country from the invading Nohrians.

Ryoma called an emergency war meeting the morning after the battle against the invading Nohrians. As much as Corrin disliked getting up early, he knew this was important and got up without complaints. He had slept surprisingly well in the infirmary tent.

Felicia had been kind and made him some tea before the meeting. Corrin was relieved that she didn't spill it all over him, but he wondered how many teacups she'd gone through this morning.

"I know it's not as good as Jakob or Flora would make it, but I did my best. I hope it's to your liking, Lord Corrin," she told him before he took his first sip.

The tea was terribly bitter, and Corrin almost spit it back out. He forced himself to swallow and tried not to make a face. He knew Felicia had gone out of her way to do something nice for him and he didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Her face fell a little, so he knew his poker face hadn't disguised his distaste for the tea. "It's too bitter, right?"

Corrin gave her a small smile. "Don't worry, Felicia. I'm glad you thought of me. And if anything, it will help wake me up for the meeting." He suppressed a yawn. "And I obviously need all the help I can get with that. So thank you."

Felicia shook her head. "You're too kind to me, milord. I know you don't like the tea."

Corrin deliberately changed the subject. "So tell me all that happened after we disappeared at the Bottomless Canyon." He patted the spot next to him on the infirmary bed. "Come, sit."

Felicia's cheeks turned pink. "Lord Corrin, I don't think that's proper. I am your maid after all."

"Nonsense. You are more than a maid, Felicia. You're like family to me." Corrin flashed her a reassuring smile. "Please come join me. I'd like to talk to you."

_Everyone from my whole life is gone now, except for Felicia._ It was a disheartening thought.

She hesitated before joining him. "What would you like to talk to me about, milord?" she stammered.

"What happened after… we went missing at the Bottomless Canyon?" Corrin couldn't get Kamui's name out; the pain of her betrayal was still too raw.

Felicia bunched up her skirt in her hands before answering. In hindsight, Corrin realized that perhaps he should have waited to ask her about that. "It- it was absolutely terrible," she whispered. "Jakob and I thought you'd both fallen into the canyon with Gunter, since you were nowhere in sight. I never felt like I'd failed so badly before. I told Lord Xander he could inflict whatever punishment he deemed fit on me."

Corrin started at Xander's name. _Big Brother probably hates me now._ "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Before facing Xander's wrath yesterday, Corrin wouldn't even have worried about that, but he now knew what rage could do to Xander's good nature.

Felicia shook her head. "Of course not. He was upset that I even suggested it."

Corrin sighed in relief. _At least there's some kindness still in him._ "Good. What happened was not your fault at all, Felicia."

Felicia sighed. "I had sworn to protect you and Lady Kamui with my own life if necessary." Her blue eyes met his. "When you'd disappear without a trace, we were all so devastated. I felt terrible that I hadn't been there to support you."

Corrin pulled his friend into a hug. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Felicia."

Felicia was stiff in his embrace. "I'm just glad you're okay, milord." She pulled away, and Corrin let her go. She seemed to be really on edge today. There was a lot for her to adjust to, after all.

Felicia continued her tale. "Anyway, we searched for hours for a sign of either of you. Eventually Lord Xander called off the search, and we returned to Castle Krakenburg. It was soon after that that King Garon ordered Lord Xander to prepare to invade Hoshido. Since you had disappeared at the Hoshidan border, Jakob and I decided to come along, in case we did find you. And I'm so glad we did."

Corrin placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. "Thank you for not giving up on us, Felicia. I really appreciate your loyalty and support." He paused. "And thank you for defending Hoshido with me," he murmured.

Felicia seemed a little dazed by all the praise. "Of course, milord. I am your retainer, after all."

"But you're also… her retainer."

"Yes, but Jakob will look out for her. That's what we decided yesterday," Felicia said matter-of-factly.

Corrin pursed his lips. "I certainly hope so," he commented. _If Father- King Garon- decides to have Kamui executed, I doubt there's much Jakob could do to protect her._ That thought wasn't going anywhere pleasant, so Corrin pushed it aside for now.

He stood and offered Felicia a hand. "Come, let's go to the meeting."

Felicia took his hand, and he pulled her up. "Am I supposed to be there, milord? I am your servant, after all."

Corrin pulled her along behind him. "Felicia, I want you there. You're not just my servant; you're my retainer and friend. And I think you might have some good insights, since you've just come from Nohr."

"O-okay, I'll come if you want me to, milord," she replied.

 Corrin flashed her another smile. "I insist."

Ryoma, Takumi, Sakura, Azura, Yukimura, some generals, and the royal retainers were already at the command tent when Corrin and Felicia arrived. Ryoma put down the papers he was perusing and greeted them with a grim smile. "Welcome, Brother. How are your injuries?"

Corrin stretched. "I'm fine. It will take more than a hit from Camilla to keep me out of the action."

"I'm glad to hear that," Sakura said in her quiet voice.

"Thanks." Corrin turned to Takumi, who had left the infirmary before Corrin woke up. "How are you doing today, Takumi?"

"I'm fine." Well, Takumi hadn't snapped at him, so Corrin took that as a good sign.

"I sent Hinoka with a squadron of pegasus knights to scout out the Nohrian movements," Ryoma informed him. "They should return soon, and then we can get started on the meeting."

Sakura shifted the festal in her hands uneasily. "I hope she returns soon. I'm getting worried."

Takumi rested a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "Hinoka's strong; she'll be fine, Sakura."

After a few more minutes of anxious waiting, Hinoka burst into the tent, followed closely by Sakura's retainer, Subaki. "We have to rescue her," was the first thing out of her mouth.

Corrin felt cold. _Something's happened to Kamui. But… I know Xander and the others wouldn't hurt her._ Corrin frowned and approached his older sister. "Hinoka, what's wrong?"

"They're headed back to Nohr with _our_ sister. We have to get her back!" Hinoka demanded.

"Calm down and explain yourself, Sister," Ryoma ordered.

The report was that the Nohrian army seemed to be retreating to Nohr, travelling north of the Bottomless Canyon. To Corrin's relief, Hinoka's squad did not find any evidence that Kamui was in immediate danger.

"So _why_ do you want to get that little traitor back?" Takumi grumbled. "She chose them over us, Hinoka. She's just Nohrian scum, for all I care."

"Takumi, don't talk about Kamui like that. They've brainwashed her or something. We just need to get Kamui back, then she'll see the mistake she's made," Hinoka insisted.

Ryoma shook his head sadly. "Hinoka, Takumi is right: Kamui made her decision to return to Nohr of her own free will, as much as I hate to admit it." His brown eyes were practically ablaze with his anger and pain.

Hinoka slammed her fist on the table. "But she's our sister, and we've searched for her all of these years! I can't believe she'd just leave us like that. I can't bear to lose her again."

Takumi scoffed. "Oh, I'm not surprised at all. I knew she was tainted by those Nohrian scum the moment we met. I say good riddance."

"Takumi!" Hinoka gasped.

"Enough," Ryoma commanded. "This bickering is pointless. We need to focus on securing our border and preparing Hoshido for war. The matter about Kamui will have to wait."

Hinoka frowned. "Yes, Ryoma," she finally said, taking her seat.

Ryoma officially started the meeting and summarized the events of the last day or so, which all of them already knew. "Our largest issues are that we no longer have our queen and King Garon has decided to invade Hoshido," Ryoma concluded. "Our priority will be defending our borders from Nohr." He turned to Corrin. "Corrin, since you lived in Nohr for most of your life, perhaps you could provide some insights about what their next move may be."

All of the eyes in the tent focused on Corrin. He cleared his throat nervously. "Well, we were isolated in that fortress for most of our lives, so it's not like I know a ton."

"But you personally know the royal family," Azura reminded him. "What do you believe they'll do?"

Corrin's mind flashed to his Nohrian family, the siblings he had grown up and bonded with. In such a short amount of time, they were now enemies on different sides in a war. But Azura was right: Corrin did know the royal siblings very well.

"Xander and the others will probably follow King Garon's orders with exactness," Corrin began. "But I think their first move would be to get…" Corrin swallowed before saying _her_ name. "…Kamui back to the capital."

"Corrin, do you believe that Kamui would actually fight in behalf of the Nohrians?" Ryoma asked.

Corrin thought for a moment before answering slowly. "I don't know for certain. Kamui hates violence and has always dreaded combat, but it is a possibility. That is, if Garon doesn't have her executed."

Sakura gasped, and Corrin realized his mistake in blurting out his main worry about his sister. The pink-haired princess trembled with fear.

That statement ignited Hinoka's fury again. She stood up. "That's it. I'm going to rescue my sister before those Nohrian scum murder her. I'll go by myself, if I must."

"Sit down, Sister," Ryoma commanded.

Corrin tried to focus on damage control. _Me and my big mouth…_ "Wait, let's not be hasty. I just said that was a possibility. I do know that the royal siblings would do all in their power to prevent that. And what good would going after her do? Kamui is already aware of the danger and she chose to return to Nohr. Trying to abduct her again would only make things worse between our two kingdoms. I'm sorry I mentioned anything. I'm worried, too, but I don't think there's anything reasonable we can do," he reasoned.

Sakura seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I don't want Big Sister to die," she whispered.

Ryoma massaged his forehead, and Corrin felt bad for adding to his stress. "I'm worried about her, too, but this was her decision, and as Corrin said, she is well aware of the consequences. And Hinoka, I appreciate your willingness to go, but you can't face the entire Nohrian army by yourself; that would be suicide. I'm sorry, but I can't let you go. Kamui will just have to fend for herself now."

"It's not as bad as it sounds," Corrin added. "The Nohrian royals are very protective of Kamui, so I doubt they'll let anything happen to her."

He embraced Sakura. "It's going to be fine," he promised.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "How do you know, Big Brother?"

Corrin smiled. "Oh, I just have a feeling." He ruffled Sakura's hair.

She giggled. "Stop it, Big Brother."

"Ha ha. Sorry, Little Sister."

Hinoka crossed her arms. "I don't like having to trust Nohrians, but if you believe they'll keep our sister safe, then I suppose I'll have to for now."

Corrin felt the need to defend the people of Nohr. "Not all Nohrians are bad. Some of the kindest people I know are from Nohr."

Ryoma sighed. "Regardless of that, their king is still evil, so their whole kingdom is a threat to us. But we will try to keep that in mind, Little Brother."

Takumi grunted, but thankfully didn't say anything rude. "So what are we going to do now?" he asked.

Yukimura spoke up then. Corrin had forgotten that more people were present at the meeting than just the Hoshidan royal siblings. "Might I suggest we send more guards to the border, take care of things in the capital… like the funeral, and then continue this discussion? I feel that we are too weary from yesterday to make any major decisions just yet."

Ryoma nodded. "Agreed."

They discussed other topics, such as organizing the movement of the army, but the rest of the meeting was quick.

Felicia hadn't said anything the whole time, but Corrin was glad she was with him. "Thanks for sitting through that with me, Felicia."

She looked troubled as they walked through the camp. "Lord Corrin, do you really think Lady Kamui is going to be okay? I remember what happened when King Garon ordered you to execute those prisoners."

Corrin grimaced. "Yeah, that was pretty bad. If Leo hadn't stepped in, I shudder to think what would have happened." He paused. "I… I'm still struggling to comprehend everything. I'm upset with my sister, but I really don't want harm to befall her."

"I think that Flora might feel the same about me," Felicia said quietly.

Corrin glanced at her worried face. "Does Flora know that you came to Hoshido?"

The maid nodded. "Oh, yes. And she was fine with that, I think, but now that I've left Nohr, I'm worried what she'll think. She's my big sister, and I really look up to her. I just hope she isn't too angry with me."

"Do you know where she is?"

"Well, she remained behind at the castle, since her duties to you and Lady Kamui had concluded. I don't know what's become of her, though. Perhaps she'll resume service to Lady Kamui," Felicia mused.

Corrin sighed. "I'm so sorry you're having to go through this, too, Felicia. It's my fault that you're not with your sister."

Felicia replied without hesitation. "But I want to be with you, milord. Flora is my sister, but I have sworn my life to you, so I will follow you wherever you go."

Corrin wrapped his arm across her shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Felicia, you are everything I could ever ask for in a retainer. Thank you."

Felicia's cheeks went pink again. "O-of course. Anything for you," she stuttered.

Corrin couldn't resist teasing her. "Even spilling hot tea on me?"

She gasped and pulled away from him. "H-hey, that was an accident! Don't make fun of me like that."

Corrin chuckled. "Sorry, but that's one of the things that makes you so lovable, Felicia."

"L-lovable?!" She sounded absolutely horrified that he would say that about her.

_Oops._

"Well, um, I better get going. I have some, uh, important business to attend to," Corrin said hurriedly. _Anything to get out of this awkward situation._ "So… bye!"

He fled before Felicia could even respond.

* * *

 

The Hoshidan army returned to Castle Shirasagi by mid-afternoon. It started drizzling around lunchtime, and everyone was soaked by the time they arrived home. It was as if nature itself was in mourning for the tragedies that had taken place in Hoshido.

Ryoma announced that they would have the funeral for Mother the next morning, and everyone went their separate ways for the evening.

Corrin decided that this was a good time to try using his new Dragonstone. If he was sent into combat again soon, it would be useful to able to use his dragon powers. As much as he didn't want to think about her, Corrin remembered the raw power and strength that Kamui had possessed in her dragon form.

_That and being able to turn into a dragon would be totally awesome!_

Fortunately, the rain had stopped, so he could practice outside. Corrin went out to the lake where he had met Azura. He was accompanied by Azura, Sakura, and some retainers. Corrin specifically asked Azura to be present in case he lost control. The rest of his audience had just kind of shown up. He didn't mind being around other people, but he felt very self-conscious about them watching. He trusted all of them, but he still didn't know them very well. He was glad that Felicia was there to support him; she was the only person left in his life that he felt he knew well.

Corrin's Dragonstone was surprisingly warm in his hands. He closed his eyes and tried to will himself to change. He pictured Kamui's dragon form, her sleek form, speed, and power. After several moments of concentrating, Corrin opened his eyes again. He was still human, unfortunately.

That didn't deter him, though. He persistently tried to transform for five minutes. Then before he knew it, Corrin had been standing in front of the lake holding a Dragonstone for an hour, and he still hadn't managed to transform into a dragon.

_Why was this so easy for my sister? What am I doing wrong?_

Corrin gritted his teeth. "This stupid stone!" he yelled and chucked the blue stone into the lake.

"Corrin!" Azura cried out. "Why did you do that?" She ran into the water fully clothed to fish out the annoying stone.

"M-maybe you should take a break, Big Brother," Sakura suggested.

"Ugh," the prince groaned. He ran his hand through his hair. "You're probably right, Sakura." He was getting too frustrated to actually achieve anything useful.

Azura returned from the lake, her blue and white skirts soaking wet. She held the blue Dragonstone in her hand. "Corrin, please don't do that again," she chastised him. "Your humanity might depend on this stone. You can't just throw it away."

Corrin flopped onto the grass next to Sakura. "Sorry, Azura. I'm going to take a break now."

He closed his eyes and tried a technique Gunter had taught him to help calm himself down. He needed to slow down and focus on everything about his surroundings. He could hear Sakura breathing. He listened to the breeze and the gentle waves of the lake. His hands felt the soft blades of grass underneath him. The air smelled like fresh rain. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, feeling the tension leave his body.

He heard Kaze speak. "Lady Azura, may I be of assistance?"

"Will you keep an eye on Corrin's Dragonstone while I go change?" Azura asked. "And please just call me Azura."

It seemed that Corrin wasn't the only royal having trouble getting people to just treat him as a friend, instead of their superior.

"Of course. My apologizes my- Azura," Kaze hastily corrected himself.

Azura giggled at that. She walked back to the castle. The sound of her footsteps in the grass was soft and soothing.

After a few minutes to himself, Corrin opened his eyes and sat up.

"Lord Corrin, are you feeling any better?" Felicia asked.

"Yeah… yeah. I think I'm just a little tired. I'd like to try again."

"If you're sure, milord," Kaze said. "Please don't push yourself too hard." He handed the stone over to Corrin.

"Thanks, Kaze. But don't worry about me; I feel better after a quick break." He looked around at the group. Azura hadn't come back yet. "Should I wait for Azura before beginning?" he wondered.

"It's up to you, milord," Kaze replied.

"I think you should, Corrin. It would make Azura really happy to see you transform for the first time," Sakura added.

Corrin sighed. "Are you sure about that? Kamui nearly killed Azura the first time she transformed. I don't want the same thing to happen…"

Azura had told him that with a Dragonstone, he would not become feral, but he was still slightly concerned. He was already getting frustrated. Perhaps his frustration would cause him to go feral, regardless of the magical Dragonstone.

"Recall that Lady Kamui was facing enemies when she first transformed. And she didn't have a Dragonstone then," Kaze observed. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, milord."

Corrin sighed. "You're right, Kaze. I'll just wait for Azura to come back, then."

Felicia gave Corrin a reassuring smile. "I think you're doing really well, Lord Corrin. I know you'll figure it out soon," she encouraged.

Corrin found himself smiling for what felt like the first time in forever. "Thank you, Felicia."

One of Sakura's retainers, a samurai named Hana, spoke up. "Hey, since Subaki is 'perfect' at everything, why doesn't he try to use your Dragonstone, Lord Corrin?" The sarcasm was thick in her voice. It seemed that Sakura's retainers were not on the best terms with each other.

Corrin just shrugged. "If you want to, go ahead, Subaki," he told Sakura's other retainer.

"No, milord. I already know that only you can use that Dragonstone," Subaki said. He glared at Hana. "Unlike some people, I know perfectly well that I have no dragon blood in my veins."

"Subaki! Hana! P-Please stop!" Sakura pleaded, stepping between them. "This is really embarrassing me." She turned to Corrin. "Sorry, they're usually much better behaved than this."

Corrin chuckled. "Don't worry, Sakura. My sibl- the Nohrian royals shared enough stories about their retainers with me, and it sounds like they're all pretty crazy."

"You miss them, don't you?" Sakura asked softly.

There was no point in pretending otherwise. "Yes, I do," Corrin whispered. "But that doesn't make what they're doing right."

"Oh, I'm s-sorry for prying, Corrin!" Sakura hurried to say. "I didn't mean to make you sad."

Corrin smiled at his younger sister. "I know, Sakura. And you didn't hurt my feelings."

Sakura returned his smile hesitantly. She still seemed intimidated by him; Corrin would have to work on getting her comfortable with him.

"Lady- oh, ah- Azura!" Kaze called out to the newcomer. When Corrin looked at him, the ninja was blushing. "Welcome back, m- Azura." The poor guy was struggling to fulfill Azura's request from before, and Corrin knew he was making an extra effort to do so.

 Azura seemed in better spirits now that she was in dry clothing. She giggled at Kaze's flustered attempts to be more familiar with her. "Hello, Kaze."

"Hello, Azura," Kaze said meekly.

Azura's shy smile only got brighter, and Kaze's blush deepened. Corrin wondered if there was something going on between those two. But it wasn't his place to pry, and he didn't have any experience with such things, since he'd been isolated for most of his life.

"Corrin, how are you feeling now?" Azura asked him.

"I'm ready to give it another go. Just everyone stand back," Corrin answered.

Everyone acknowledged his request and gave the prince space.

"You can do this, Lord Corrin!" Felicia cheered from the sidelines. Corrin couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

Corrin breathed in and out slowly and closed his eyes. He tried to find and release the dragon inside of him. Kamui had transformed when she was angry; perhaps if he was angry, that would help. After a few minutes of no success, he turned to his Hoshidan friends and family.

"I have a strange request, everyone," he started. "I think I need to get angry to transform, so please make me angry."

Azura raised an eyebrow. "You're right; that is a silly request, Corrin."

Corrin felt really stupid. Kamui would have figured out how to help him by now. _I wish she was here right now._

Corrin seemed to be falling apart all the time lately. Without Kamui, he didn't seem to know what to do anymore. His heart still expected Kamui to come in and help get him out of every predicament, like she always had done. But his mind knew that she would not come to his aid anymore. Without his twin sister, he really couldn't function, could he?

He wiped at the moisture that filled his eyes. He didn't want to cry in front of everyone.

"Corrin? I was just teasing," Azura said softly.

He met her concerned gaze. "I know." He sighed. "This is going to sound really dumb, but I- I miss Kamui." He almost choked on her name.

"So do I," Azura agreed.

"I miss her, too, Big Brother!" Sakura said. "Um, would you like a hug, Big Brother?" She didn't meet his eyes and just stared at her feet.

Corrin knew she was still really nervous around him, so offering a hug was a huge step out of Sakura's comfort zone. He appreciated the sentiment. "Please, Sakura."

The pink-haired girl wrapped her arms around his shoulders gently. "We- we're here for you, Corrin," she said softly.

Corrin hugged her back. "Thank you, Sakura."

He tried to push Kamui out of his mind, knowing that thinking of her would only make his heart ache even more. He choked back a few sobs as Sakura held him. Eventually he pulled himself together again.

"Corrin?" Azura asked after a few moments.

"Hmm?" Corrin glanced at her. She was fidgeting with her hair again.

"Well, I was wondering. What if you are struggling to transform into a dragon because you're sad?"

"Hm. That's an interesting thought, Azura," Kaze commented. He didn't trip over Azura's name this time.

Corrin let out a shaky breath. "Well, every time I try to use the stone, I think about her." He clenched his fist. "And thinking of Kamui is painful right now, so I suppose that would make sense."

"M-maybe you should stop for today and try again tomorrow?" Sakura suggested.

Corrin sighed. "I suppose you're right again, Sakura. Let's head in for the night."

He carefully placed his Dragonstone back in its pouch. Perhaps for now he struggled to use it, but he would just have to wait until he was ready.

* * *

 

After not being able to sleep in his room, Corrin went to the astral realm with Lilith. It was dusk in the other world, and Kamui's roses still grew in the field. He ignored them, not wanting another reminder of his estranged sister. He sat in the grass, watching the sun set on the horizon.

"Lilith, you're a dragon," Corrin began.

"Yes, Corrin." She was patient, even with him stating the obvious.

"Do you know if… I can transform into a dragon?" If anyone would know, he figured a dragon would.

"Hmm. I think that is mostly for you to work out. But I do believe that you have the potential to transform," Lilith answered. "Both you and Kamui have very strong dragon blood, even for royals."

"I wonder why that is," Corrin mused. He watched the last rays of sunlight disappear on the horizon.

"I cannot answer that, Corrin. But cheer up! I know that you can be a majestic and powerful dragon."

"Thanks, Lilith." Corrin stood and stretched. "I'm going to try to sleep in the tree house tonight."

He'd slept peacefully there once. And with Mother and Kamui gone, he simply couldn't fall asleep in Castle Shirasagi. Perhaps the tree house would do the trick. He tossed and turned in the bed, but eventually fell asleep.

* * *

 

Queen Mikoto's funeral was held at the royal family's shrine. Corrin had never attended a funeral- Hoshidan or otherwise- so he did not know what to expect. His siblings were patient with his blunders, though.

The members of the royal family were dressed in white kimonos. All the other mourners wore black kimonos. Mother wore a white kimono in her casket. In death, her face was serene, but expressionless.

Corrin wished he could see his mother's smile again. He wished he could have known his mother like he should have. Garon had taken that opportunity away from them. Corrin would not forgive the Nohrian king for that. But today was a day to honor Corrin's mother, and such thoughts were not appropriate.

The royal siblings sat in the front row of the audience. Hinoka and Sakura were openly weeping, while Takumi and Ryoma were more subtle about their tears. Azura was trembling and tears fell silently down her face. Corrin also shed a few tears that day.

A priest offered the prayers to the Dawn Dragon in behalf of the deceased queen.

After that, the royals approached the casket to pay their final respects. Sakura handed Corrin a bunch of yellow chrysanthemums. "You place them around her when it's your turn," she explained quietly. Corrin followed the actions of his siblings. They proceeded from oldest to youngest.

After Hinoka, it was Corrin's turn to say farewell to the mother he never really knew. He tucked the yellow chrysanthemums beside Mother's head. He tried to speak past the knot in his throat, but his words came out in a hoarse whisper. "Mother, thank you for giving me life and for loving Kamui and me. I'm so sorry it had to end like this, but I swear, I will avenge your death. I will make certain that your sacrifice wasn't in vain. Perhaps we can meet again after this life… Rest in peace, Mother…" He didn't know what else to say, so he left and allowed Takumi to pay his respects.

When Sakura finished saying her farewells to Mother, Mother's casket was taken to the crematorium. This part of the funeral was something Corrin was not accustomed to. Nohrians buried the casket in the ground, but that was not the case here. In Hoshido, the deceased's body was cremated, then the bones and ashes were placed in an urn that would be placed at the grave. This was the part of the ceremony that was strictly for close family members. Everyone was silent as the flames were lit under Mother's body.

Several hours later, Mother's body was cremated. Corrin's siblings taught him how to use chopsticks to place her bones in an urn.

"This is the only time we can pass things between chopsticks," Ryoma told him. "We start with the bones of the feet and work our way up to the bones of the head."

The custom reminded Corrin of Kamui's faux pas just several days ago, when she'd tried to pass food to him with chopsticks. Now Corrin understood how offensive that was to the Hoshidans.

  _Kamui should have been here for this._

After the urn was filled, the family took it to the royal family's graveyard at the shrine. Mikoto's name was etched into a stone that already bore King Sumeragi and Queen Ikona's names. (It was then that Corrin learned that Queen Ikona, Sumeragi's first wife, had been the birth mother of Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura.)

Then, the funeral for the late Hoshidan queen was over. Ryoma told Corrin that they would be in mourning the rest of the day, but tomorrow they would need to start preparations for war. They'd have another war meeting first thing in the morning.

Corrin took a little time that evening to practice with his Dragonstone again, but had no success. _If Mother foresaw that I would need a stone, then she must have seen me transform in one of her premonitions._ Corrin didn't know much, but he put faith in his mother's wisdom.

_I'll keep trying until I succeed,_ Corrin vowed silently. _I'll do whatever I can to defend the people of Hoshido and my family… even those in Nohr. I_ will _find a way to end this war._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a bit of a headache right now, so my notes will be very short for this chapter. 
> 
> I tried to base Mikoto's funeral off of traditional Japanese funerals. (I read about them online, so I apologize if some things are not very accurate... It's not like I live in Japan and can go actually observe a Japanese funeral in person.) It was definitely very interesting to read about, so if you're looking for something to do, go look it up! (I'm lazy and don't feel like going into specifics here.)
> 
> And I'm tagging Corrin's love interest (finally), since he and Felicia are actually going to interact now. I personally love their supports in game and think they're adorable together.
> 
> For other romantic relationships, I'll wait to tag them until I actually start writing about them.
> 
> And once again, thank you, for reading this!


	11. Bonds of Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nohrians travel back to Nohr with Kamui.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's only four days late, but I'm finally posting! (And it was rough because literally everyone in my family wants my attention right now.) So I've been distracted and recovering from surgery, so I apologize if this isn't all that great. But thanks for sticking with this.

Xander paced briskly back and forth, fury burning in his eyes like an inferno. He'd called for a war meeting the morning after the battle at the plains of Hoshido, and Leo had a feeling he knew what this was about: Corrin.

Yesterday, their brother, who they thought had died, chose to betray Nohr and abandon their family. Leo had trusted Corrin and looked up to him as an older brother. And Corrin had stabbed him in the back. No one had ever betrayed Leo's trust like Corrin had. The whole family was suffering, and it was all Corrin's fault. He was the reason Camilla and Elise had been crying themselves to sleep every night. He was the reason Xander was so enraged. He'd broken their family yesterday, and that was something Leo could not forgive.

Leo exhaled slowly through his nose and tried to calm himself. He needed to be logical, not succumb to his emotions. _Someone_ needed to be rational, and Leo knew none of his other siblings were capable of it at the moment.

_At least Kamui came back to us._ Leo felt his anger with Corrin fade away with that thought.

He still felt like he was dreaming. Losing Kamui had been devastating for Leo. She was more than a sister; she was his best friend. Having her here, safe and alive, was the best thing that had ever happened to Leo. And because Corrin was no longer with them, Leo got to sit next to Kamui at the meeting, which  was just fine with him.

He had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms and hold her like he had yesterday. Leo's mind wandered back to that moment instead of paying attention to Xander's rant about Corrin. It was much more pleasant than lingering on the horrible pain of Corrin's betrayal. Being with her again soothed the pain that Leo had felt for days. She'd mended his broken heart. He wanted to comfort her, to protect her, and to make sure he never lost her again.

Before Leo realized what he was doing, his fingers brushed the back of Kamui's hand under the table.

She startled a little, and Leo instantly pulled his hand back. _What am I doing? What kind of imbecile tries to hold his sister's hand during a war meeting?_ Especially since they weren't actually related, it would probably give Kamui the wrong impression.

Leo shook his head. That train of thought wasn't going anywhere good.

_Focus on the meeting,_ he reminded himself. Xander needed Leo to support him, not daydream about the girl sitting next to him.

Unfortunately, Kamui was still proving to be a distraction for him. She kept tapping her foot on the floor, something she did when she was anxious. It wasn't super annoying, but it kept drawing Leo's attention away from the meeting. After a few more minutes of this, Leo had had enough. He put his hand on Kamui's bouncing knee, forcing her to stop tapping her foot.

She froze at his touch.

_You idiot! That is_ not _the way to touch a lady._ Leo felt his face burn as he realized his error. He knew very well that grabbing a woman's knee like that was completely improper, even if she was his sister. He really hadn't meant to do that.

"That was getting really distracting," he muttered, then quickly let go of her.

Kamui glanced at him with wide eyes. "Oh, sorry," she whispered.

Leo forced himself to look away from her and focused on Xander's words.

"…no choice but to brand Corrin as a traitor."

Leo heard Kamui inhale sharply. _She's not going to take this well._

"He's committed treason, and the penalty for that crime is death," Xander continued. "He will be killed on sight-"

"NO!" Kamui jumped to her feet and slammed her hands on the table. "Xander, you can't do that! Corrin's our _brother_. Please, have mercy on him," she begged. "He's only-"

Leo kicked her shin to get her to shut up, and she yelped in pain. "Sit down and be quiet," Leo hissed.

After a pause, Kamui did as he requested. "My apologizes, Big Brother," she said quietly.

Xander merely nodded at them, then continued with his orders.

Leo leaned closer to her so she could hear him better. "Kamui, don't say things like that. You're already in a tight spot; your enemies will use anything they can against you. If you're not careful, you might be killed." Leo didn't want to think about that possibility, but he needed Kamui to understand the gravity of the situation. They had just gotten her back; they weren't going to lose her again.

Kamui was trembling, and her hands were balled into tight fists in her lap. "I can't just sit here and do nothing while Xander orders my twin brother to be killed." She paused for a second, then: "I've already lost enough in the last few days; I won't lose Corrin as well."

Leo noticed that several generals were starting to stare at them. "I know," he whispered. "Now isn't the time to talk about this, but we'll talk later."

Kamui nodded quietly.

Elise raised her hand then. Leo couldn't remember a time she'd actually participated in one of these meetings.

"Yes, Elise?" Xander asked.

"I agree with Kamui," she said. "We shouldn't kill Corrin just because we don't like what he did."

Leo wanted to groan. _Not Elise too… Doesn't she realize how treacherous that sounds?_

"I won't allow our family to destroy itself like this," Elise continued. "I'd rather die-"

Xander held a hand up, silencing her. "Elise, we will discuss _family_ matters in private. We need to focus on the war right now."

Elise pouted, but sat down, thankfully.

Leo sighed. Why did he have to be stuck with his sisters, while Xander got to lead the meeting? It wasn't fair. Leo could contribute more if he didn't feel like he had to keep the two girls on either side of him from committing treason.

_It isn't like there's a ton we can plan for before we report to Father, anyway,_ he reasoned.

Leo tuned into what Xander was saying for a moment, but completely lost his focus again when Kamui rested her head on his shoulder. Leo stifled a gasp, but he still went rigid. He hoped that Kamui wouldn't notice how his heart started pounding in his chest. He'd never been one for much physical affection, after all.

"I'm sleepy, Leo," she mumbled.

Leo gulped. He resisted the urge to wrap his arm around her and pull her closer to him. He amended his earlier thought about sitting next to Kamui: being near her like this was pure torture. He wished Corrin were here to act as a buffer between them. Corrin always knew how to handle his twin sister's antics. Then she could nap on _his_ shoulder.

"I'm not your pillow, Kamui," Leo muttered.

"You are now," Kamui said. She nuzzled the crook of his neck with her head.

Leo felt a blush creep onto his face when her soft hair rubbed against his skin. "S-stop it," he hissed. He cringed when he stuttered. He sounded horribly pathetic.

Elise joined in the scheme to torment Leo during the war meeting. She rested her head on Leo's right shoulder and closed her eyes, mirroring Kamui on his left shoulder. "I'm sleepy, too, Big Brother," she mumbled, but she was smiling. She knew this was driving Leo crazy.

"Both of you, cut it out," Leo grumbled. "People are starting to stare."

It was true. On the other side of Kamui, Camilla tittered into her hand. If they weren't in a meeting, she'd probably descend upon Leo as well with her "sisterly affection." And it wasn't just Camilla watching at this point: several generals didn't even try to hide that they were staring at the royals. Even Xander kept stealing glances at his younger siblings. His expression was half-amused, half-annoyed.

Leo was just annoyed by this point. And completely mortified. He wished he could use Brynhildr to open the ground and swallow him up. Anything to get him away from this situation. He couldn't wait until the meeting was over. _Why is Xander dragging it out so much?_ Perhaps he was also in on the plot to torment Leo this morning. _Ugh. Why am I always the one they pick on? This is ridiculous._

Leo sighed and returned his attention to the meeting, trying to ignore the two princesses trying to use him as an impromptu pillow.

* * *

 

The journey back to Castle Krakenburg was solemn. The Nohrians were returning with their missing princess, but they had lost a prince. The plan was to travel north, so as to avoid crossing the Bottomless Canyon.

The fall air was chilly, and the gray clouds lurking overhead spoke of rain to come- or perhaps even snow. The terrain was arid and rocky, a drastic contrast to the lush plains of Hoshido.

It was starting to sink in for Kamui that she was leaving her twin brother, perhaps for forever. _No, we'll be together again. I'll find a way to make it happen,_ she resolved.

Kamui couldn't stop thinking about yesterday's events, especially what had happened in the plaza. Not only was it traumatizing, but Kamui still had too many questions about what exactly had happened. The mysterious circumstances of the events proved to be a good distraction from her fragile emotional state.

_It started with that sword, the Ganglari… A weapon from a different world._ Yukimura's words from yesterday came back to her, that Mother had speculated that there were darker forces at work here. Did the sword have something to do with that? Whatever it was, Kamui felt that there was more going on than just a war between Nohr and Hoshido. _There's something I'm missing…_

Normally, she'd talk to Corrin about her thoughts, since they were always together, but he wasn't an option anymore. She wished he was there, so she could run her ideas by him, like she'd done since they were little. Kamui clenched her teeth. _Don't think about him right now. Besides, there are plenty of other people to talk to._

She thought for another moment, then decided that she should speak with Leo. He was one of her best friends and he was brilliant; if anyone could give her some sound advice, it would be Leo. She just hoped he wasn't still mad at her for speaking up for Corrin and dozing off on him at the meeting that morning. He probably thought she was really pathetic.

Regardless, those were dumb reasons to avoid her brother, so she searched the marching army for him. She eventually spotted him on horseback not too far away.

She ran over to him. "Leo!" she called out.

He turned and looked down at her. "Kamui, what is it?"

Kamui realized that he had been in a conversation with two other young men, riding on either side of him. One of them had white hair and wore an eye patch. A bow was slung over his shoulder. The other man was blond and wearing the most flamboyant yellow outfit Kamui had ever seen. Both of Leo's companions stared at her. They seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd seen them before.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Kamui apologized. _That was rude of me._

Leo shrugged. "You're not interrupting anything."

The blond man didn't seem to agree. "But I was just getting to the part about how I, Odin Dark, defeated the demon of darkness with my special move: the Ultimate Scorcher of Destruction," he grumbled.

Almost none of that made sense to Kamui. "Huh?"

"Don't pay attention to Odin, Princess," the archer said. "No one understands what he says most of the time." He smirked. "Did you come to share some dirty little secret with Lord Leo, hmm?"

"What?" _This guy isn't making any sense either._

Leo groaned. "Both of you, just stop it." He addressed Kamui again. "I'm sorry my retainers are being a bother to you."

"Your retainers?" Kamui recalled Leo telling her stories about his eccentric retainers in the past. "Oh, so you must be Niles and Odin." Her eyes widened when she remembered that they had actually met before. "Oh! I met you when we..." She trailed off, realizing that mentioning the circumstances of their first meeting would be unwise here.

Leo's retainers had been with them on the day that Leo snuck the twins out of the fortress for an afternoon. Since Kamui had spent most of that time lost in the woods, she wasn't well acquainted with them.

Odin perked up. "Yes, milady, we met on that fateful day when our fair princess was swept away by the raging river of death, and the dark lord and his faithful companions had to rescue her from the foul demons of the dark forest."

Kamui ran over his words in her head. He had described the events of that day, she supposed, even if his explanation was a bit cryptic. "Yes, that day," she finally said. "That was… fun."

Niles snickered. "You thought that was fun, Lady Kamui? I don't think anyone else would describe it that way. You should have seen how frantic everyone was, especially-" He stopped short when Leo glared at him.

"Anyway, you have an interesting definition of fun, Princess. I'm interested to see what else amuses you," Niles said with a smirk.

"Um… thank you?" Kamui wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.

"Niles, quit harassing my sister," Leo ordered. It seemed like he dealt with these antics quite frequently.

"Sorry, milord, but she is simply fascinating, wouldn't you agree?" Niles remarked.

Once again, Kamui wasn't sure whether or not to take that as a compliment.

Leo's face reddened; Niles's comments were starting to annoy him. "Niles, that's enough," he snapped. "If you're not careful, you might find yourself looking for employment soon."

Kamui didn't want Niles to lose his job on her account, even though she didn't really think Leo would go through with that threat. "Leo, it's fine. Really."

Leo exhaled slowly. "Odin, Niles, please leave us alone for a few moments," he ordered.

"Alone? This should be good," Niles commented.

"We'll allow you to converse uninterrupted with your fair lady," Odin added.

Leo's blush deepened to a shade close to the tomatoes that he loved. "With my _sister_ ," he retorted.

"If you say so, milord," Niles replied.

"Just go…" Leo groaned.

 To Kamui's relief, the retainers finally left her alone with Leo.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with those two," Leo grumbled. "Was there something you needed?" His face was still flushed from dealing with his retainers.

"I was wondering if we could talk," Kamui began.

Leo nodded. "Of course. Did you have something specific in mind?"

Kamui glanced around. Even though the retainers had given them space, there were plenty of people who could listen in. "Well, yes… But I don't want to talk where people can eavesdrop. Perhaps we could drop back a bit?"

"You're safest in the group, Kamui," Leo reminded her. "I don't want you in danger again." He was logical, as usual. And after her breakdown on the battlefield yesterday, any attack could put her in danger if she lost it again like that. She sighed. _I have so much I need to improve in._

"Can I ride with you, then?" Kamui asked. She was getting tired on her feet, and it would be easier to have a private conversation if they rode together.

Leo rolled his eyes. "If you insist, Sister." He helped her mount behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his back. She was pleased to see that his collar was on correctly today.

Leo nudged the stallion into a walk.

"Leo, I'm sorry that I made you mad," Kamui apologized.

"Mad? I don't know what you're talking about."

"I was kind of an idiot at the meeting this morning," Kamui admitted. "And I made it hard for you to focus."

"Kamui, it's fine. I'm not mad at you," Leo reassured her. He had definitely seemed ticked off earlier, but Kamui decided not to push it.

"So was that all you wanted to talk about?" Leo asked. "That was quick." Kamui could hear the mock skepticism in his voice.

"No, but if you don't want to listen, then I won't bother you anymore."

"I never said that," Leo retorted. He cleared his throat, and his voice softened. "I'm here for you, whatever you need. You know that, right?"

Kamui smiled. Leo wasn't very vocal about his emotions, but she knew he cared. And knowing that he cared for her warmed her heart. "I know."

"So what is this important thing you wanted to tell me?" Leo asked.

"I'm scared, Leo," Kamui barely spoke above a whisper.

She felt his body stiffen. "Why are you afraid, Kamui? I promise I'll keep you safe, and I know Xander, Camilla, and Elise will as well."

"Oh, I know that. I'm afraid of Father," she admitted. "What Corrin said yesterday is true; he did make several attempts on our lives. And after failing two missions in a row, I doubt he will be as forgiving as last time. And I'm not actually his daughter, so I can't count on that to help me." She swallowed. "What if he executes me?"

Leo inhaled sharply. "I won't let that happen, Kamui. Even if we're not blood siblings, you're still my family, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."

Kamui felt a surge of affection at hearing his words, but she was still worried. "No, I know that Father might harm you as well if you try to protect me. I couldn't ask you to do that for me. Please don't."

"Why are you telling me this, then?"

Kamui realized that all she was doing was forcing her problems onto Leo as well. "I don't know. I'm sorry I made you worry. I'm probably just over thinking the situation, and I'll be perfectly fine."

Leo didn't buy that. "No, it makes sense for you to be concerned, as much as I hate to admit it. But I believe having you with us will be an asset for the army. Father will realize that, even if he does get angry. He won't kill you."

Kamui gave him an affectionate squeeze. "Thank you, Leo. I do have a question for you, though."

"What is it?"

"Well," Kamui hesitated.

"I won't judge you, Kamui," Leo said gently. "I'm sure you have many questions. Things have been chaotic since you left the fortress."

"How long have you know about Corrin and me?" she blurted out. "That I'm not really your sister…" Her heart started racing as she realized how tactless she had been. "You don't have to answer, if you don't want to," she added quickly. Perhaps it was something Leo wasn't comfortable talking about.

Leo was quiet for a moment. "I've known since I was twelve," he finally said. "Xander knew about your past when you first arrived in Nohr. Camilla and I were too young to know, and Elise wasn't born yet. Xander told all of us when I got suspicious about your past. I was asking Father too many questions, so Xander just told all of us the truth. It doesn't matter to me, though." He sighed. "But I am sorry for not telling you."

"It's okay, Leo. I imagine it was really hard on you, having to keep that secret for so long." She hugged him again. Well, as best as she could on horseback, which was basically tightening her hold around Leo's waist.

Leo scoffed. "Typical. You focus too much on other people, Kamui."

Kamui pulled away from him. "What's that supposed to mean?" He said it like worrying about him was a bad thing.

Leo sighed. "I'm just worried that you'll neglect taking care of yourself while focusing on other people."

Kamui hugged him tightly. "Oh, Leo! You're too sweet!"

"Ugh. Don't say that, Sister. I am _not_ sweet," he huffed.

Kamui giggled. "Deny it all you want, but I know you're just a big sweetheart deep down."

"Do you want to walk the rest of way home?" Leo threatened. "That can be arranged."

"And how would you convince the entire army not to give me a ride? Even if you kicked me off your noble stead, I'd just go ask to ride with someone else. Perhaps Xander?"

Leo tensed up again. He reined his stallion to a halt. "If you want to be with Xander so much, then get on with it," he snapped. "Go ahead. You don't need to feel obligated to ride with me."

Kamui bit her lip. Perhaps she'd gone too far with that comment. She knew that Leo hated being compared to their older brother. "Leo, I'm sorry. That was out of line…" She swallowed, trying to clear the dryness in her throat. "I want to ride with you. Please let me stay?"

Leo sighed. "I'll let you stay if you take back what you said about me being sweet," Leo said. " _That_ was out of line and completely untrue."

Kamui rolled her eyes. "Fine. I take it back. You're a cold, heartless prince. Happy now?"

"I'm never happy," Leo deadpanned. He nudged his steed's sides, and the stallion continued travelling with the group again. Even if he didn't say he was happy, he seemed to have forgiven her insensitive comment.

Kamui snorted. "We both know that's not true. You seemed pretty happy to see me in Hoshido yesterday," she pointed out.

"Well, yes," he admitted. "We all thought you were dead, Kamui."

"You were all really worried, weren't you?" she noted. "I'm sorry. I really missed you, you know."

Leo coughed. "So, was there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

Now was the time to get information on the mysterious sword Father had given Corrin. "That sword that Father gave Corrin, the Ganglari. Do you know anything about it?" she asked.

"No more than what Father told you. I haven't come across it in my studies."

"There's something really off about Ganglari," Kamui mused. "Actually, it's the reason that Corrin almost died multiple times. Well, and me, too, because I was nearby."

"Care to elaborate?" Leo wouldn't know what exactly she was referring to, she realized.

"Well, it started at the Bottomless Canyon, when we surveyed that fort. When we were on the bridge, Hans attacked us. He- he knocked Gunter into the canyon." Kamui's mind flashed back to that horrible moment, and she shuddered. "I managed to get him to retreat, but then Ganglari started shaking or something. Corrin and I think that something to do with the sword caused him to fall into the canyon."

Leo froze. "Wait, Corrin _fell_ into the Bottomless Canyon?"

"Yeah. It was really horrible to watch. I was sure he was gone forever." Kamui shuddered. "I still don't quite understand how he survived, but I can tell you what I do know later on. It's kind of complicated…

"Anyway, the Hoshidans captured us and took us back to the capital, as you already know. But something… strange happened again with Ganglari yesterday…" Kamui fell silent, not knowing how to explain this while the pain of losing her mother was still so raw.

"Well, what happened?" Leo prompted.

Kamui took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "There was an attack in the capital's plaza yesterday morning. There were these strange soldiers, and one of them summoned Corrin's sword to him. At least that's the best way I can explain it. Ganglari exploded, and it killed a lot of people. Corrin and I would have been killed if my- my mother hadn't sacrificed herself for us." Her throat tightened as she remembered the loss of her kind mother, and she tried to hold back her tears.

"Kamui, are you okay?" Leo asked quietly.

They both knew she wasn't, but she lied anyway. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm still just a little tired from yesterday." Horribly, she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

Leo didn't quite know what to say to that. Kamui knew that he was uncomfortable whenever she cried. Usually, he'd go get Corrin to help calm her down. But he wasn't here now.

"I'm sorry," was what Leo finally said.

Kamui sighed and tried to ease the awkward tension between them. "I'll get through this. Thanks for listening to me, Leo."

"Of course. We're family, Kamui. I'll always be here for you," Leo promised.

They fell into a companionable silence after that.

* * *

 

When the army stopped for the night, they were finally back in Nohrian territory. They camped on a long barren plain.

After Xander had delegated the work of setting up camp, he went in search of his siblings. The war meeting that morning gave him great cause to worry. If Kamui and Elise were not careful, Father might brand them as traitors or simply execute them. And they needed to understand that Corrin was lost to the family now. He had called Father pure evil, and that alone was an act of treason to the crown. Corrin had betrayed their trust.

Xander hadn't admitted it to anyone, but Corrin's betrayal hurt more than he had expected. Well, he _hadn't_ expected Corrin to side with Hoshido against Nohr, so there was no way he could have mentally prepared for Corrin's decision. Of course, Xander would feel this way if any of his siblings betrayed him like this, but with Corrin it was so much worse. Growing up, Xander and Corrin had been extremely close. They were sparring partners and friends; they were brothers, regardless that they didn't share blood. Xander could never forgive Corrin for turning on him like that.

Elise was the first sibling he found. It was no surprise that she was helping out at the healers'  tent. The poor girl looked exhausted, but she grinned up at Xander anyway.

"Big Brother!" she called out. "I haven't seen you all day long!" She embraced him warmly.

Xander returned her hug. She was such a sweet child and the sunshine in Xander's otherwise dark life. "It's good to see you, too, Little Sister. Come with me: we need to have a family meeting."

Elise grabbed his hand with her tiny warm one. "Yay! Let's go get everyone together."

She dragged Xander off to the horses, where Leo and Kamui were tending to Leo's stallion.

"Big Brother, Big Sister!" Elise called to them. "We're going to have a family meeting, so hurry up!" She looked up at Xander. "Um, Xander, where are we meeting?"

"My tent," Xander decided.

Kamui smiled. "Good to know. We'll be there soon," she promised.

Leo merely nodded in acknowledgement.

Camilla was already settled in her tent, wearing a black nightgown, but she immediately agreed to join the family in Xander's tent. She didn't bother changing out of her sleepwear. Kamui had accidentally done the same thing last night; that had probably influenced Laslow having the audacity to flirt with Xander's little sister.

Xander's tent only had a small table, two wooden chairs, a wash basin, and his bedroll. Camilla and Elise took the chairs. Leo stood at attention near them, and Kamui had curled up on Xander's bedroll like she was going to take another nap. Xander took a standing position from where he could see all of his siblings.

"I'm sure you all know why I've asked you here tonight," Xander began.

There were nods from Camilla and Leo.

Kamui sat up. "You want to talk about Corrin," she said solemnly. Her usually bright eyes were dull with a hint of pain in them.

"That is correct," Xander confirmed. He clenched a fist, but kept his voice and expression neutral. _I've got to stay in control._ "What Corrin did yesterday is inexcusable. He abandoned Nohr and our family. He has openly betrayed us."

Of course, his three sisters did not look like they completely agreed with Xander's assessment. Leo just nodded again; he knew what had to be done.

"Xander," Kamui began. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Were you really going to kill Corrin yesterday if you had the chance?" Her voice quivered ever so slightly.

Xander clasped his hands behind his back. "We do what we must for the glory of Nohr, little princess. There are certain laws that we must abide by, such as the death penalty for traitors," Xander reminded her.

Elise raised her hand high in the air.

Xander turned his attention to her. "Yes, Elise?"

"Big Brother, I just want you to know that Corrin isn't a traitor. I know it looks bad now, but he'll come around soon. Just please give him a little time," the youngest princess pleaded.

Xander let out an explosive sigh. "Elise, I know you mean well, but you can't say things like that." He glanced at Kamui. "The same goes for you, Kamui. If the wrong people hear such talk, you could be accused of treason."

Kamui frowned. "It's still wrong, Xander. Corrin is our _brother_. He's family. We can't just kill him."

Xander began pacing. "Corrin has severed those ties with us. I'm sorry, little princess, but regardless of how you feel, the fact of the matter is that Corrin is now an enemy of Nohr."

Kamui stood. "Xander, please promise me that you won't kill Corrin," she begged.

Xander stopped pacing. "That is not something I can promise, Kamui. I will do what needs to be done. It is my duty as the crown prince of Nohr."

Kamui shook her head. "He's just defending innocent people; he's done nothing wrong!"

"Kamui," Leo said in warning.

_That's enough._

Xander swore. "Whose side are you on, Kamui?!" he roared. "We are at war with Hoshido! If Father heard you speaking like this, he would have you executed on the spot!"

"Don't yell at her, Xander," Camilla insisted.

Kamui cringed, but stood her ground. She crossed her arms defensively. "I am on the side of our _family_ : you, me, Camilla, Leo, Elise… _and_ Corrin. We might not agree on everything, but what binds us together is stronger than that: love and loyalty. Corrin is _hurting_ right now; we can't turn on him. He needs our love and support now more than ever." Her eyes started to fill with tears. "I thought you loved him, Xander," she whispered accusingly.

Her words were like a blow to Xander's gut. Yes, he could see what she was getting at, but his love for Corrin was an obstacle now. It was against everything Xander stood for. It was a love that had to end.

Xander lowered his voice when he spoke again. Shouting at Kamui would only make things worse. "We didn't turn on Corrin; Corrin turned on us. Since we aren't all related by blood, it is loyalty and love that binds us, as you said, little princess. Corrin broke those bonds yesterday. He is no longer part of our family. We cannot support a traitor-"

Elise gasped. "Xander! How can you say such a thing?!"

 Xander held up his hand. "Quiet, Elise. You need to understand this as well. I won't ask you to openly fight against Corrin, but you cannot support him. Such a thing would make you a traitor as well."

Elise's violet eyes welled up with tears. "Xander, how can you be so mean? This is _our_ Corrin we're talking about."

Camilla put a hand on Elise's shoulder. "Elise, Kamui, please don't argue with Xander. I can't bear to see anymore fighting within our family."

Leo stepped forward and clasped his hands behind his back. "Camilla is right, you two," he said, glancing at Kamui and Elise. "We cannot permit Corrin's betrayal to create conflict between us. 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'" Xander couldn't remember who exactly Leo was quoting, but his words were true. "And Xander is also right; by law, Corrin has committed treason and the penalty is death. Just because he's our brother does not make his case an exception."

 Leo directed his gaze to Kamui. "Look, I know you're upset about what happened with Corrin- we all are- but please be prudent about what you say. Father would _kill_ you if he heard you talking like this. Don't put our family through that again." _Good. She listens to Leo; maybe he can talk some sense into her._

Although, they all knew that Corrin was the best at getting through to Kamui.

Kamui balled her hands into fists and stared at her dirty feet. "Everyone… I'm so sorry," she finally said. "I've been so focused on Corrin and myself, that I forgot that you're all suffering, too. I've been so selfish." She took a deep breath. "I… I'll be a good little princess for your sakes. I don't want to hurt any of you again." She blinked rapidly, and Xander realized she was trying to hold back tears.

Camilla got up and gave Kamui a hug. "Aw, sweetie. You have such a kind heart, and that's what we all love about you. But I know we'll all sleep better at night if we don't have to worry about you upsetting Father again. I know it's hard, but that's what's best for now."

Kamui nodded. "I understand." She obviously still didn't agree with the verdict on Corrin, but if she kept quiet about her opinions, Xander could handle that.

Xander just hoped she'd keep her word and be quiet about Corrin when they saw Father tomorrow.


	12. The Devil's Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamui and the Nohrian royals report to King Garon about the events in Hoshido.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun writing this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. I do use a lot of canon dialogue from the game, but I tried to add a new perspective to it.

After a long day's march, Kamui looked forward to getting a good night's rest. She wore Camilla's white nightgown again, but made sure not to leave their tent dressed like that. She really did not need a repeat of last night.

Sleep was hard to find, though. Kamui was still a little upset with Xander and Leo for speaking against Corrin at their family meeting that evening. Xander had actually shouted at her, and Leo… well, Leo had been his usual cynical self. She understood that they were hurting deep down, just like she was, but she hated how they could speak so casually about executing their own brother.

_So maybe we aren't all siblings because we share the same parents, but we're still family. Nothing can ever change that, even if the others think so. Xander and Leo probably just need some more time to process this. Yeah, then they'll come around and forgive Corrin._

At least, that's the hope Kamui held on to. She'd set an example by forgiving Xander and Leo for the terrible things they'd said about Corrin. _I love them, too, so I shouldn't stay angry with them… Why do family matters have to be so difficult? Well, I'd rather have a family with troubles than have no family at all, so I shouldn't complain._ After coming to this conclusion, she eventually dozed off into a troubled sleep.

Unfortunately, with sleep came another nightmare.

This nightmare took her back to the plaza in Hoshido's capital. Mother died just as she had in real life, then Kamui transformed into a dragon. This time, Azura was unable to calm her with her singing. Kamui's claw pressed against the princess's throat. She applied more pressure against her neck. Then, there was a sickening _snap_! She could feel the bones breaking under her claw.

Kamui sat up gasping in bed. _No, not this again! It's not real. It was just a nightmare._ She tried to calm her racing heart. But the worst part was that this nightmare had almost happened. Back in Hoshido, Kamui hadn't been able to control herself, like she couldn't control herself in her dream. Could her nightmare be yet another premonition of what was to come? Kamui certainly hoped not.

_I need to find my Dragonstone._ She found the stone among her things. It glowed blue in the darkness of the tent. Maybe just having it with her could help her believe that she wouldn't become the monster again. _I managed to not lose it with Hans last night, so I can control myself again. It was just a bad dream, after all._

She heard a low moan from Elise. "Big Sister Kamui, are you okay?" she asked in a groggy voice.

Kamui moved to sit by her little sister. "Elise, I didn't mean to wake you again. I just had a nightmare, but I'll be fine." _I hope._ "Go back to sleep."

Elise shook her head. "No, I want to help you, so I'm not going to sleep right now. Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

Kamui shook her head. "I just want to forget it, to be honest."

"Okay." Elise pondered that for a moment, and then she smiled. "Do you want to know what I brought with me? I haven't told anyone else, so keep it a secret, okay?" She winked.

Kamui giggled softly. Camilla was (hopefully) still asleep, and she didn't want to wake her. "Sure, what is it?"

From underneath her blankets, Elise pulled out a pink teddy bear with a purple bow.

Kamui grinned. "I didn't know you still had Mr. Sprinkles."

Elise grinned. "Of course I do! Do you still have Mr. Pookie?" She sat up on her blankets and patted the spot next to her.

Kamui scooted over. "Well, I did take Mr. Pookie with me to Castle Krakenburg when we left the fortress. I haven't slept with him in years, though."

"You should! I think sleeping with a teddy bear would help you sleep better."

Kamui bit her lower lip. Since Elise still slept with her teddy bear, she wasn't quite sure how to phrase this without insulting her. She had moved on from her childhood and was an adult now; it was time to put away childish things. "I'll consider it," she said finally.

"Hey, I know!" Elise's eyes brightened at whatever idea she had. "When we get home, let's have a tea party with Mr. Sprinkles and Mr. Pookie! It will be a blast!" She gasped. "Oh! And we should have Xander, Camilla, and Leo bring their teddy bears, too."

Kamui couldn't help but smile at her younger sister's enthusiasm. She patted Elise's head affectionately. "We'll see. You might be able to talk Xander and Camilla into it, but I seriously doubt that Leo will go for that." The thought of Leo going to a tea party with his teddy bear was hilarious. And kind of adorable.

Elise wouldn't accept that. "Well, I'll just get him to change his mind!"

"Mm? What was that about me?" Camilla mumbled. She blinked at the sisters with bleary eyes.

Elise was more than happy to explain her teddy bear tea party idea.

Camilla smiled. "I think that's a lovely idea, dear. Now, we should all get back to sleep. Today is going to be another busy day."

Elise turned to Kamui. "Are you feeling better now, Kamui?"

"Yes, Elise. I hardly remember my nightmare now."

Elise thrust Mr. Sprinkles into her arms. "Here, you should cuddle with Mr. Sprinkles tonight. He'll keep the bad dreams away."

"Thank you, Elise."

There was no way Kamui could refuse. She snuggled back into her blankets with Mr. Sprinkles held tightly in her arms. Perhaps sleeping with the teddy bear worked because she was asleep again within minutes.

* * *

 

The porridge at breakfast was lumpy and bland. It reminded Leo of Elise's first attempt at making pudding. Elise had been about twelve or thirteen then. Leo had tried her vanilla pudding and told her exactly what he thought of it; he had only been candid. In response, Elise smashed a bowl of it in his face and ran off in tears. Of course, Leo got an earful from both Xander and Camilla on being more tactful and sensitive.

As an adult, Leo had matured enough that at least he wouldn't go complain directly to the cook about the mediocre meal. That didn't mean he had to like it, though. Perhaps he was fortunate that he didn't have much of an appetite this morning.

He wouldn't dare admit it to anyone, but he was slightly worried about reporting to Father when they returned to Castle Krakenburg. Father would be furious about Corrin's betrayal, of course, but Leo was more concerned about Kamui. She had promised to behave in front of Father, but Leo knew that sometimes her sharp tongue got out of control, especially when she was talking about something she was passionate about. And she was very passionate about keeping the peace and defending Corrin. And Leo knew those were things that Father would not approve of.

"Leo, do you mind if we join you?" That was Kamui speaking.

_Speak of the devil._

Leo glanced up from his porridge to see Kamui and Elise standing before him. Both were holding bowls of the same concoction as his. At this point, Leo had decided that it had the consistency of glue.

Leo sighed. "If you must."

Kamui and Elise took seats across the table from him. Kamui raised an eyebrow while she stirred her breakfast. "What's got you in such a good mood this morning?" she asked.

Leo shot her a glare. "I don't think you and I have the same understanding of what a good mood is, Sister."

Kamui and Elise exchanged a glance. "You're more grouchy than usual this morning," Elise noted. "What's eating at you, Big Brother?"

_Great. Now they're teaming up against me. Just my luck, I suppose._

"Nothing."

Kamui giggled softly. "Leo, with that scowl on your face, we all know it's not nothing." She reached across the table and touched Leo's arm. "Come now, tell us what's bothering you." Her crimson eyes were warm and kind, and she was smiling gently.

Leo's heart lurched _._ He wanted to keep seeing her smile like that. _I have to protect her, no matter what happens today. But how am I going to do it?_

Elise poked him with her spoon. "Don't ignore Kamui."

He pushed away the porridge and folded his arms across his chest. "This is unacceptable," he muttered.

"It's breakfast. What's so unacceptable about it?" Kamui asked. She ate a spoonful of porridge. "I think it's quite good."

Leo rolled his eyes at that. "Of course _you'd_ like it, Kamui. I don't think I've ever heard you say anything negative about any meal."

She shrugged. "Well, that would be rude. And I'm grateful for having something to eat."

"It's like my pudding, Leo," Elise added. "It's yummy."

Leo failed at hiding his smirk. _I was just thinking the same thing, minus the 'yummy' part._

Kamui beamed at him. "There's the smile we've been missing."

Leo felt his cheeks grow warm and he glanced away briefly. "Happy now?"

Kamui rested her chin on her fist. "That depends. Are _you_ happy now?"

_I'll be happy once I know that you'll live through the day._

"Uh, yes. Yes, I'm happy," Leo mumbled, since that's what she wanted to hear.

"Yay! Leo's happy!" Elise cheered.

Kamui smiled at him again. "I'm glad."

* * *

 

The debriefing with Father went almost as horribly as Leo had imagined. At first, Father was pleased about their success in Hoshido. The mood in the room changed when Xander brought up Kamui.

"I bring good tidings. It's about Kamui… She already safely returned to us," Xander announced.

Father's eyes narrowed. "Kamui… has returned?"

Kamui stepped forward. She kept a straight posture, even though Leo was certain anxiety coursed through her body. "Hello, Father," she said with a sheepish smile.

"What are you doing here, girl?! Why did you come back?" Father snarled.

Kamui blanched. "F-Father! I…"

Elise was shocked by their father's harsh words. "Father! How could you say such a thing?" Leo envied her innocence; he wasn't surprised by Father's words at all.

Father started yelling at Kamui. "Do you take me for a fool, Kamui? My spies are everywhere. I know you've been at Hoshido this whole time. No doubt their filthy queen filled your head with all manner of secrets about your birth. The poor little Hoshidan royal twins abducted at a young age by the forces of Nohr." He glanced over the royals. "Speaking of, where is the little Prince Corrin? I see he did not come back with you."

Kamui bit her bottom lip, but it was Xander who answered. "Corrin has betrayed Nohr, Father." Leo could hear the anger seething in Xander's voice. "He joined the Hoshidan forces against our kingdom."

Father's face darkened even more, but he didn't shout. "No surprise there. He was always weak. Our forces will crush the little traitor with ease. I will make an example of the coward as to what happens to traitors of Nohr!" His eyes returned to Kamui. "You are surely now aware that the royal family of Nohr is your enemy by birthright. Corrin has embraced his birthright and become our enemy. Yet you came back, all the same. I can't help but wonder why."

Iago stood at Father's right hand and was quick to voice his suspicions. "Hmm… smells like treachery! Betrayal! She's surely sided with the enemy, just as Corrin did. Could it be she's planning to assassinate you, King Garon? It's only logical..."

Leo's eyes darted to Kamui. She had been brave to come back, and he wanted her with them, but the turn of this discussion did not bode well for her. He gripped Brynhildr tighter. Would he be able to fight Father to protect Kamui, if it came to it?

Kamui was horrified that Iago accused her of being a traitor. "No! How could you say that?! I would never do such a thing!" Her hands were shaking at her sides. Leo was by her side before he knew it. If he was closer to her, perhaps he could keep her from doing something rash.

"It's true," Xander insisted. "That is simply not possible." Well, if Corrin could betray Nohr without a second thought, then it was only logical that Kamui was capable of the same thing. But Leo personally didn't have any better defense for her at that moment, so that would have to suffice for now.

Father leaned back into the throne. "Oh? How can you be so sure? After all, Corrin betrayed us. I expect less sentimentality from a future king of Nohr."

"I have proof that her loyalty still lies with Nohr! Although it was her first true battle, she fought off the Hoshidan army all alone." Perhaps Xander was embellishing the details, but if it convinced Father…

Kamui shifted uncomfortably. "Um, Xander? That's not exactly… argh!" Leo felt bad for stepping on her bare foot like that, but at least it got her to shut up.

"Be quiet, Kamui. Don't say a word," Leo breathed in her ear. He felt sick when he saw the tears of pain well up in her eyes. He hadn't meant to hurt her…  She looked away from Leo. He noticed she shifted her weight more to her better foot. _I'm sorry… Please forgive me, Kamui._

Xander continued as if Kamui hadn't interrupted him. "What's more, I saw her elect to return to Nohr with my own eyes. We all did. Because of her choice, Prince Ryoma grew angry and tried to kill Kamui. She even fought with Corrin." Leo noticed Kamui flinched at that. "If she were a Hoshidan spy, why would she risk her life for us? Why would she alienate herself from the royals by protecting us?" Leo hoped that reasoning would be enough to convince Father to spare her.

Iago, of course, didn't believe a word of what Xander said. "Hmm… A convincing story," he said sarcastically. "But it proves nothing. The whole thing could be an elaborate ruse!"

Xander lost his temper at that. "Silence Iago! As Crown Prince of Nohr, I swear on my honor that it was no act. You weren't even there, you fool. How could you possibly know what transpired?"

Father held up a hand to silence them. "That is enough, Iago. Your words have been heard and considered."

Kamui remained silent and stared down at her feet. Leo noticed her toes were red and swollen where he'd stomped on them. He closed his eyes in shame. He'd promised to protect her, and now he had physically injured her on purpose. He didn't deserve to be a part of her life.

Iago couldn't stay silent, even after the king had told him not to speak. "King Garon, I think it's safe to say we have a dirty Hoshidan spy on our hands…"

Father shook his head. "Sadly, I must agree." Leo's blood ran cold; he wasn't going to spare Kamui after all. "Now that the war between our kingdoms has escalated, I have no choice. I cannot allow this little problem to go any further than it already has." Leo tensed; he'd have to fight his father. "Xander… Kill Kamui. That's an order," Father commanded as if asking Xander to pass the salt at the table.

Leo's eyes flashed to Xander. He hadn't anticipated having to fight Xander to defend Kamui. What was he going to do?

Xander was outraged. "WHAT?!"

Their sisters were as well. "Father, stop this madness! I beg of you!" Camilla pleaded, falling to her knees.

"Please, no!" Elise whimpered. "Don't hurt our sister!"

Leo knew begging wouldn't change Father's mind, so he said nothing.

Iago was smug. "That's enough, Princess. It is not your place to question the King's decision. Not even a queen would be able to overrule a direct command from King Garon!"

Father glared at Xander. "Xander, you have your orders. No more stalling. Proceed."

Xander was the crown prince; even though he hated it, he would obey Father's every order. Leo opened Brynhildr in preparation for the coming conflict. There was no way he could idly stand by and watch Kamui die.

Xander's next words surprised Leo. "I won't do it! I'm sorry, Father." Xander hadn't stood up to Father that directly in years; Leo was proud of his older brother in that moment.

Iago was enjoying mocking Garon's children too much. "Aww, what's the matter? Don't have the guts?!" He sneered at Xander. "Or is our crown prince also a traitor? He _is_ defying a royal order after all…"

"Stop this!" Kamui shouted. "Xander is _not_ a traitor." She brought her eyes up to meet Father's. "Father… I am the cause of all this." _No, Kamui, that's not true._ She couldn't really believe that, could she? "All will be well if I just disappeared, correct? Please don't bring Xander into this. I'll do it myself…" She unsheathed the Yato.

What was she saying?! Was she suggesting _killing_ herself would fix this problem?! Leo's heart raced. There really wasn't anything he could do to save Kamui; he'd been a fool to think otherwise. If she took her own life… what would he do?

Father was quiet for several moments. Was he actually considering her ridiculous suggestion?

"Father?" Kamui asked timidly.

Father's expression wasn't angry, to Leo's surprise. "So, you're willing to trade your life for his?" He stroked his beard. "Fascinating. In that case… I shall allow the great Anankos to decide your fate. Now would be a good time to start praying." Father lifted his eyes to that strange tablet he kept on the ceiling.

"Father? I don't understand…" Xander said. Leo didn't think any of them did.

"Quiet, children," Father snapped. "I will now seek the counsel of the sacred mystical dragon, Anankos. He alone shall decide Kamui's fate."

Even Iago was baffled by the king's behavior. "King Garon? You can't be serious… Are you feeling well?" Father must really be doing poorly for _Iago_ to notice something was up.

"The mystical dragon… Anankos?" Kamui wondered aloud. She glanced at Leo, as if asking him who Anankos was. Leo shrugged; he knew as much as she did.

Father returned his attention to the ceiling. "Mighty Anankos, I call upon your wisdom on this day of reckoning! Grant me a vision," he prayed. "Show me the way…" He was quiet for a moment. "Understood. It shall be done." Father returned his focus to Kamui. "Fate has smiled on you today, young Kamui. As decreed by Anankos, you shall be accepted into the Nohrian royal family."

There was a collective sigh of relief from the royal siblings. Father's methods might be a little unorthodox, but if he permitted Kamui to live, Leo couldn't really complain.

Kamui's eyes widened."Father, I… Thank you!" A grin broke across her face.

To no one's surprise, Iago was not pleased with the decree of this Anankos. "King Garon?! This is preposterous!" he squawked. Everyone ignored him.

Xander placed a hand on Kamui's shoulder. "You did the right thing, Father. We are all eternally grateful."

Father raised his hand. "Not so fast. Before it can be done, Kamui must pass a test." Of course she would; Father's acceptance was almost impossible to obtain, even for his own children.

Kamui was wary. "A test? What kind of test?" Leo didn't blame her apprehension; the past "tests" Father had put her through had almost cost her life.

"Anankos decrees that you must first suppress the Ice Tribe's rebellion. Once you have gloriously fulfilled that obligation on behalf of Nohr… I will welcome you back into the fold as my daughter, and all will be as it was," Father explained. Knowing him, Father had other objectives in mind that he didn't share with his children.

Kamui straightened her posture. "Suppress the rebellion… I understand, Father. No matter what, I won't let you down." Leo was proud of her for not showing the fear he knew she felt.

Xander and Elise were optimistic about Kamui's next mission. They reminded Leo of Corrin a little. Leo shook his head; he shouldn't think about Corrin right now.

"You'll do great, Kamui," Xander said. "I will prepare the troops immediately. With our army at your side, you will make quick work of that little rebellion."

 Leo saw Kamui flinch at his words; she probably didn't want to harm anyone. Knowing Father, there would be a catch to all this. Leo wondered if she had thought the same as him.

Elise was bubbly once again. "Yeah! You can do it! I'll go along, too, so I can heal you if you get hurt!"

Leo felt a pang of jealously listening to his siblings' support of Kamui. None of them had given him as much support as they did for Kamui and Corrin. He'd learned to be strong by going forward alone.

Father seemed to think the same as Leo: the strong stood alone. "You fail to understand the task at hand," he rebuked his children. "To fulfill the wishes of Anankos, she must perform this by herself. Kamui will vanquish the tribe alone, without the help of our troops." Even if it was a test of her strength and abilities, Leo didn't like the thought of Kamui going to the Ice Tribe alone.

Xander and Elise were more verbal about their objections. "What?! Father! That's… that's not possible!" Elise gasped.

"Father, be reasonable," Xander pleaded. "Attempting to end this rebellion alone is suicide! To even get there, she must first pass through the Woods of the Forlorn. It's too much to ask of her when she's still so inexperienced in the ways of the world!"

Leo was not surprised that their words didn't sway Father's decision. "If that is so, then kill her now. I will not tolerate insolence," Father told Xander.

Father and son had a staring contest, until Xander bowed his head. "Understood, Father. I apologize for my outburst."

Kamui gave Xander a reassuring smile, but Leo could sense her trepidation. "Don't worry, Xander. I'll find a way to do this alone… somehow. Do you remember when Leo said I have the devil's luck? It must be true." Her eyes met Leo's briefly. To his relief, they weren't full of hurt, like before. They were warm and caring. Then, she looked back at Xander and Father. "I swear to you, I will accomplish this task and return without fail," she promised. "If you'll excuse me, I must go make the proper preparations for my journey."

"Kamui… May the gods be at your side," Xander said.

Father stood. "I have high hopes for you, Kamui. Do not let me down."

Kamui nodded. "I won't Father. That's a promise."

All of the siblings left the throne room without another word.

Kamui's shoulders slumped as soon as they were out of Father's presence.

"Kamui, are you sure you'll be all right?" Camilla worried.

Kamui smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'll be fine, Camilla. Thank you for your concern, though." Leo recalled Corrin had said something similar before their disastrous mission to the Bottomless Canyon.

Elise gave Kamui a big hug. "Does this mean we'll have to wait for our tea party?" she wondered.

Kamui nodded. "I think so." She grinned at Leo. "Besides, you have to convince Leo to join us, anyway. That will probably take all the time that I'll be gone." Tea party? Did Leo miss something?

Elise giggled. "He'll be there," she said confidently.

Leo cleared his throat. "What are you talking about, Little Sister?" Did he even want to know?

Elise bounced on her feet. "Kamui and I had this great idea to have a tea party with all of us and our teddy bears," she announced. "And don't you try to get out of this, Leo. It's a family event!"

Leo groaned. "Elise…" Of course it would be something silly like that. _When did they even find time to plan something so trivial?_

Camilla was smiling. "I, for one, think it's a great idea. What say you, Xander? Xander?"

Leo glanced around and also realized that Xander wasn't with them anymore. He probably had business to attend to. Although, he normally excused himself before leaving.

Kamui excused herself, but Leo found himself following her. He needed to speak with her before she left again. "Kamui," he called as she was halfway up the stairs.

She turned and looked down at him. "Yes, Leo?"

"I- I apologize for stepping on your foot back in the throne room. I didn't want to hurt you…" Leo's apology sounded empty even to his own ears, but he _was_ trying to be sincere.

Kamui genuinely smiled, however. "You don't need to apologize." Her smile disappeared. "I know you were just trying to protect me," she added softly. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" She dashed up the stairs before Leo could respond. He noticed that she was limping slightly.

"Kamui, I'm so, so sorry," Leo whispered.

* * *

 

Kamui was unable to sleep the night before leaving for the Ice Tribe. This time it wasn't because of nightmares, but because her mind was working in overdrive. She had so many questions, and her brain would not rest.

After several hours of fighting insomnia, Kamui slipped out of bed and made her way to the library. Perhaps she could find some useful information. She had wanted to go with Leo for her first visit, but she wasn't about to wake him up in the middle of the night.

Kamui opened the large oak doors of the library and peered inside. There were shelves of books as far as she could see. She felt like she was in a forest of knowledge. There were some reading tables at the north end of the library near windows that overlooked the dark night.

Since it was the middle of the night, no one was present, and all of the lights were out. Kamui used the light of her Dragonstone to browse the library. _Where to begin?_ she mused. She wanted to see what she could learn about the sword Ganglari, the mystical dragon Anankos, and dragons in general. And she should probably read up on the Yato while she was at it. _Maybe I_ should _get Leo to help me. He'd know where to find things._ But she'd been enough of a bother to him already.

After wasting about half an hour trying to find anything about dragons or mythology, she caved and went to go get Leo. His room was down the hall from hers. She knocked tentatively at the door, hoping he'd wake without her having to enter. There wasn't a response. "Leo? Leo, are you there? It's Kamui." She tried not to speak too loudly, but her voice echoed through the empty corridors. She waited for a moment, then slowly opened the door to his quarters.

The sitting room was dark, but she could make out some couches by the light of her Dragonstone. She was not surprised to see a book case filled with hard bound books. Everything seemed well organized. Kamui found the door that led to his sleeping chambers and knocked softly. "Leo?"

Still no response. She would either have to be louder or just barge into his room. Not wanting to make a scene, she pushed his bedroom door open. She could hear the sound of Leo's steady breathing. She approached his bed and gazed down at him. From her Dragonstone light, his features were cast in a bluish light. His blond hair was tussled and missing the usual black headband. He wore a black set of pajama's. He was sleeping on his right side, and his face was more peaceful than when he was awake.

_Do I really need to wake him?_ Kamui couldn't help but wonder. Leo was probably exhausted from recent events. But she really did need to find out what she could about Anankos, Ganglari, and herself. And she was leaving the next day for the Ice Tribe, and who knew when she'd return.

She sat on the bed next to him and brushed his cheek with her fingers. His skin was warm and soft. She was a little surprised to feel the start of stubble; sometimes she forgot that he was an adult now. "Leo?" She gently shook his shoulder. "Leo, wake up."

He stirred and opened his eyes reluctantly. He blinked a few times before speaking. "Kamui? What- what are you doing in here?"

"Sorry for waking you, Leo, but I need your help," Kamui whispered.

Leo pulled himself into a sitting position next to her. His long legs dangled over the side of the bed. "At this hour?" he complained. His eyes widened. "Did you have another nightmare?"

Kamui shook her head. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know about those. But no… no nightmares tonight. I wasn't able to sleep, so I wanted to study in the library. Problem is, I don't know where to find what I'm looking for." She realized how silly her reasoning sounded. Perhaps she was too tired to think coherently.

"Normally I'm happy to help you study, but it is the middle of the night, Kamui," Leo grumbled. He rested his head on her shoulder. "You really should get some sleep."

"I can't sleep; that's the problem. I can't stop thinking about Ganglari, Yato, and this Anankos that Father mentioned earlier. I just know it's important that I find out. Maybe if I understand what caused this conflict, I can end it."

Leo sighed. "I already told you: I haven't come across Ganglari in my studies, and I've read every book in the library. And I don't recall anything about Anankos either. I recall coming across the Yato at some point, but it didn't have many details."

Kamui forced Leo to meet her gaze. "Please, Leo. I'm leaving in the morning and I don't know when or if I'll come back. If I'm going to find something out, now is the time."

Leo looked down instead of keeping eye contact with her. He wet his lips. "Do you think you're not coming back?"

"I don't know what to think anymore. At least help me find the right section, then I'll let you sleep again."

Leo stood up and stretched. "No, I'll keep you company."

Kamui grinned. "Thank you, Leo! You're the best!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the door.

"Wait! I'm not dressed, Kamui!" Leo whined. He still allowed her to pull him along, though.

She shrugged. "Who cares? I'm not either." Kamui wore a blue nightgown, nothing else. "We can just call it a sleepover in the library, if that makes you feel better. Now, c'mon!"

* * *

 

Studying in the library in the middle of the night turned out to be a really bad idea.

Leo found one book that mentioned the Yato as a divine weapon but it didn't tell Kamui anything she didn't already know. She rested her head on her arms. _I'll rest for just a moment, then I'll get back to studying…_

She must have rested much longer than she intended to because the next thing she knew, she was back in her bed again.

Jakob was trying to rouse her. "Lady Kamui, my apologies for the early hour, but it is time for you to leave for your mission," he told her.

Kamui sat up and yawned. She really didn't want to get out of bed yet, but she knew that she needed to successfully complete Father's mission as soon as possible. "Okay, okay. I'm getting up," she mumbled. She blinked sleepily. "How did I get here?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I fell asleep in the library. How did I get back in my bed?"

Jakob crossed his arms over his chest. "Lady Kamui, were you attempting to study in the middle of the night again?"

Kamui rubbed her eyes. "It was important and couldn't wait." She yawned again.

Her butler frowned in disapproval. "Milady, you need to take care of your body," he lectured. "If you were to fall ill again, then how would you complete King Garon's mission?"

Kamui waved his worries away. "I'll be fine… But I am still curious about how I got back to bed… Did you find me in the library?"

"No, milady." Jakob pressed a cup of tea into her hands. "Now drink your tea before it gets cold."

"Thank you, Jakob."

Kamui sipped at her tea while she thought. If her retainer hadn't found her in the library, then perhaps _Leo_ had carried her back to bed after she fell asleep. _Now that's a thought._ She wrinkled her nose in annoyance with herself. _I really wasted Leo's time last night. I'll have to make it up to him somehow. And does it really matter how I got back to bed?_ She shook her head. It didn't matter, but the idea of Leo carrying her to bed was still sort of sweet.

She pushed the thought away and focused on getting her armor on. Other thoughts ran through her head. _I don't have a tome; I wonder if I could obtain one before I leave… I wonder how Corrin and my Hoshidan family are doing. Probably not very well. I hope I can see them again and work things out peacefully…_

Her thoughts turned to more practical things like eating breakfast, readying her Dragonstone and Yato, and saddling her horse. Since her previous horse had been lost at the Bottomless Canyon, Father was generous enough to give her a white mare named Winnie.

She stroked Winnie's head gently. "Hello, Winnie. You're such a good girl for coming to the Ice Tribe with me. I'll take good care of you, don't you worry," she whispered. She offered Winnie some sugar cubes. Xander would scold her for indulging her mount like that, but Kamui felt like it helped her bond with the mare.

After Kamui led Winnie out of the stables, she was delighted to see that her siblings had come to see her off. She embraced each of them in turn.

"Oh, do be careful, sweet Kamui," Camilla begged. "I don't know what I'd do if we lost you again."

"You won't lose me again, Camilla. That's a promise," Kamui reassured her. She did not want to put her family through that again.

"You'll do great, Big Sister! You'll be home again before you know it," Elise encouraged.

Kamui grinned. "Thank you, Elise. I look forward to our teddy bear tea party when I get back."

"Stay on your guard, little princess," Xander reminded her. "The Woods of the Forlorn can be very dangerous."

"I will, Big Brother. I'm confident that I will be able to handle any challenge that comes my way."

"Try not to fall asleep in the saddle," Leo teased. "It wouldn't do for you to come to an untimely end just because you couldn't stay awake."

Kamui gave him a dirty look. "Oh, be quiet, Leo. I'm not going to fall asleep in the saddle."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "You didn't seem to have any trouble falling asleep while reading last night," he countered.

Camilla turned to their younger brother. "Leo, were you making Kamui study on the night before her mission?"

Kamui shook her head. "It was my idea, Camilla. There were some things I needed to look up in the library that couldn't wait."

Leo rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. He probably knew how unproductive her study session had been last night.

Kamui turned to him. "Thank you for helping me study. Sorry I fell asleep on you… But I promise I'll stay awake today!"

Camilla frowned. "Maybe you should wait another day before leaving. You need to be well-rested."

"I'll be fine, Camilla." Kamui tried to suppress a yawn, which certainly didn't help prove her point.

"Best be on your way, little princess," Xander said. "We wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you, everyone." Kamui smiled softly. "I love you all so much, and I'll be back before you know it!" Perhaps saying it out loud would help her be more confident about that outcome. This was a dangerous mission she'd been tasked with, but if she truly did have the devil's luck, then she'd get through this fine. And if not, well, at least she'd died trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Kamui's confrontation with Garon would go about the same as it had in canon. I wrote that part from Leo's point of view because he literally had one line in that whole chapter! I was wondering what was going through his head because I seriously doubt that he was idly standing off to the side while his father talked about executing his adopted sibling. So that's my take on that.
> 
> Mr. Pookie is Kamui's old teddy bear in canon. If you haven't read her C support conservation with Velouria, he's mentioned there. (Seriously, if you haven't, go read that conversation. I think it's hilarious! "She... she took Mr. Pookie...")


	13. Another Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamui carries out her mission to suppress the Ice Tribe rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late, guys! I've been swamped lately. This is the last Kamui chapter for a bit, and we'll return to Corrin next chapter.

The darkness of the Woods of the Forlorn was suffocating. Even though it was the middle of the day, the trees cast dark shadows across the forest floor, and it seemed that the darkness itself was tangible. Silas had been in the Woods a couple of times in the past during knight training, but this time was much more urgent than his other visits to the Woods.

His dear childhood friend, Kamui, needed his help. Prince Xander had personally asked Silas to go to the princess's aid in the Woods of the Forlorn, along with Princess Elise and her retainers. They weren't to tell anyone of their mission. Silas was honored that the Crown Prince had entrusted his sister's safety to him, even though he was the newest knight in Nohr.

"I know that you care about Kamui, and I trust you to protect her with your life," the prince had told him that morning. "This is not something I can say about most knights in the kingdom. I will feel much more at ease knowing that she has a knight and trusted friend to watch over her. I have reason to believe that someone will try to sabotage her while she is alone."

Princess Elise had overheard the conversation on accident and begged to help Silas. Prince Xander had allowed her to go with her retainers, mostly so that she wouldn't spill the secret mission to anyone. If that happened, Lord Xander warned that the consequences could be dire.

And now, they were going as fast as they could to aid Kamui. Traveling through the Woods was a lot slower than Silas would have preferred, though. He and Elise rode on horseback, and there was no trail for horses to travel through the dense underbrush quickly. Elise's retainers slowed them down even more. Effie's heavy armor made it difficult for her to keep up. And Arthur, well, the man just seemed to be cursed with bad luck. All of his misadventures slowed them down even more.

Silas stayed with the princess and her retainers until he heard the sounds of fighting ahead. "I'm going ahead to help," he called out before spurring his horse into a gallop. If Kamui was in trouble, then he needed to be at her side as soon as possible.

When Silas heard Kamui's voice, he knew he was on the right track. Her words worried him, though. "They're not backing down. There's no end in sight. I hate to say it, Jakob, but we're wildly outnumbered here. We need a plan, and fast!" Her anxiety leaked into her familiar voice.

"Hello? Hellooo?" Silas called out, hoping she would hear him. "Hey, Kamui! Over here!"

Silas found her fighting alongside a man with a silver ponytail. She held a golden blade in her hand, and the man wielded daggers. Her crimson eyes widened when she saw Silas.

"Phew! I finally caught up to you," Silas sighed in relief. "You're faster than you used to be."

Kamui frowned. "Um, thanks. And you would be…?"

It had been several years, so Silas supposed it made sense for her not to recognize him. "It's me, Silas!" he told her. "It's been a long time, Kamui. You're a lot taller!" She was an adult now, so of course she'd be taller than when she was as a child. It was probably a dumb thing to say, but Silas was just happy to see her again after all these years. "It makes me so happy to reunite with a childhood friend like this."

Kamui cocked her head to the side and pressed a finger to her chin. "A childhood friend? I'm really sorry, but I'm drawing a blank."

Being forgotten by his childhood friend felt like a punch to the gut, but Silas tried to stay upbeat. "So you've forgotten about me, eh?" He chuckled good-naturedly. "No worries. It's been ages."

Maybe he could spark her memory. "We used to play together, along with Corrin. You and Corrin always said how badly you wanted to see the world. So one day I made us a picnic and snuck you both out for a few hours to explore." Silas grinned again; that had been such a fun outing, even though it didn't end very well.

Silas recalled more details about the day. "I even packed your favorite meal: vegetarian chowder! And surf and turf for Corrin." Silas sighed. Things had gone perfectly until they'd been caught. "I knew taking you beyond the walls was forbidden, but… I also knew how much it would mean to you. The guards tried to execute me when we returned, but you and Corrin wouldn't let them do it."

Kamui gasped in surprise. Her crimson eyes widened. "No, it can't be… Silas?! Is it really you?" Her worried expression changed into the bright grin Silas remembered. "Of course I remember you! I can't believe it! It's been a lifetime since I last saw you. You look so different!" Her pure joy almost illuminated the whole forest.

Silas chuckled. "You also changed a lot. I wanted to visit, but I was banned from ever returning after that. I became a Nohrian Knight so that one day I might be able to see you again." There was so much for them to catch up on, but that would have to wait. "Now here we are, in the middle of one of your messes! Just like old times, huh? If you will allow me, I would be honored to fight at your side."

Kamui's expression softened with relief. "Silas… Thank you. You really are a sight for sore eyes," she said.

The sound of Lady Elise's cheerful voice interrupted them. "Everyone, hold your horses! Kamui, I'm here, too!" she called across the way.

Kamui's smiled widened when she saw the youngest Nohrian princess. "Elise?! You came as well?" She dashed barefoot over to her sister.

Elise giggled. "Of course! That's what sisters are for, right? No way I was gonna let our new knight come to your rescue without me! I'm here to help you, Kamui! I don't care what Father thinks!" Silas did have to admire her boldness for going against her father's wishes like this.

"Thank you, Elise…" Kamui sounded like she was trying to hold back tears. "That means so much to me."

Elise turned her attention to Silas then. Her lips were pursed. "Anyway, back to business. Silas, you're a real dummy, you know that? Mean, too." _Wait, what did I do wrong?!_ "Leaving a cute princess behind while you forge ahead. Shame on you!"

Silas felt his cheeks go warm. "I-I'm so sorry, milady!" he stammered. His first mission, and he'd already messed up. But watching over her wasn't Silas's sole responsibility. "But, um, don't you have your own retainers to look after you?" Where _were_ Arthur and Effie?

Lady Elise shrugged. "Well, yeah, but… Don't change the subject!" she ordered. She glanced back the way they'd come. "Speaking of, they should be here, soon."

Silas raised an eyebrow. "So what you're saying is… you left them behind to forge ahead. Right?"

"Right!" The princess didn't seem the least bit concerned that leaving her retainers behind could put her in danger.

Silas sighed. How could she be so careless?

Kamui giggled at their exchange. "Elise… you are adorable. Go easy on Silas for me, okay?"

The happy reunion was cut short by more attacks from the Faceless. Eventually, Arthur and Effie showed up to help, bringing tales of Arthur's misfortunes.

Kamui just smiled and warmly accepted their help. "With all of you on my side, I know I can make it through this," she said. "Thank you, all of you, for putting yourselves at risk to come to my aid."

"Sure thing!" Lady Elise cheered. "But really Xander is the one you should thank. He went behind Father's back and sent us out here to keep you safe!"

"Xander…" Kamui murmured. Then, a smile broke across her face. "Well, I certainly can't die before thanking him. All the more reason to prevail!"

As a team, they were able to quickly kill the Faceless. Kamui lowered her sword. "Phew! It appears all of the Faceless have finally been dispatched. Good work."

Elise cheered. "Yay! We did it! GO TEAM!" Her enthusiasm was infectious.

Silas sighed in relief. He was reunited with Kamui, and they'd been able to keep her safe. "I can't believe we actually won. Amazing! Now to make our way through this forest and head to the Ice Tribe Village."

Kamui bit her bottom lip. "It's such a dark forest, though… I hope we don't lose our way," she said softly. Her eyes darted around the battlefield, taking in all of their surroundings. She gasped. "Oh! Oh! I just realized that I don't see Winnie anywhere."

Silas scratched his head. "Who's Winnie?"

"My horse," Kamui explained. "I don't know how to fight on horseback, so I dismounted. But… oh, she must have run off while I was fighting the Faceless. She was quite skittish."

Silas sighed. "That does tend to happen. How long have you had Winnie?"

"A day." Kamui tilted her head to the side as she thought. "Well, really only this morning. I may have lost my previous steed at the Bottomless Canyon." Her expression darkened for a moment while she remembered that terrible day. Then, she brightened. "But you're good with horses, right, Silas? You can find her for me? I'll help!"

Silas cleared his throat. If a horse that hadn't bonded with Kamui was lost in the Woods of the Forlorn, there wasn't a great chance that they'd find her. Kamui looked so sure of it, though. "Kamui, we'll do our best, but don't you have a mission to complete?"

Kamui frowned. "Well, yes, but I can hardly abandon my mare to the Faceless."

"Never fear, Lady Kamui! Allow me to look for you lost mare," Arthur boomed.

Kamui turned her radiant smile towards the retainer. "Arthur, that would be wonderful. Thank you so much!" Her brow creased with worry. "But will you be all right on your own? I wouldn't want some misfortune to befall you." Well, that was certain to happen.

"Oh, don't worry about Arthur, Kamui," Elise said. "He has the worst luck, but he always pulls through."

"Are you sure, Elise? I don't want you to be unguarded because of my horse," Kamui worried.

Effie stomped over in her armor. "Lady Kamui, I will be here to guard Lady Elise. I will not let any harm befall her."

Elise giggled. "Effie trains really hard every day, so there's no reason to worry, Big Sister."

"It's settled, then," Kamui said.

After more deliberating, Jakob was chosen to guide the group through the Woods, and Arthur was left with five copies of the map while he looked for the missing horse. Hopefully that would be enough to counter his bad luck. He'd managed to lose his map and his backup map already.

"Silas, could I ride with you?" Kamui asked. "I'm a little tired." She held back a yawn. "And maybe we could catch up, since it's been forever since we last saw each other."

"Sure thing, Kamui!" Silas helped her up, and she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back.

"So, tell me what adventures you've been up to," Kamui said as they traveled.

Silas shrugged. "Mostly I've been training to become a knight for years now. I was knighted a few weeks ago, actually. This is my first mission as a knight, and I couldn't be happier to be at your side."

Kamui chuckled softly. "You're just like Corrin; he was always so enthusiastic about missions…" Silas heard the sadness in her voice. He'd heard that Corrin had joined the Hoshidan forces. He imagined it was really taking a toll on Kamui.

"How are you holding up, Kamui?" Silas asked. "I heard about what happened with Corrin."

"I'm fine." She answered too quickly, then sighed. Her voice trembled. "Okay, so that's not totally true," she admitted. "I miss Corrin. We were always together growing up, and now it's my fault that we've gone separate ways." She choked back a sob. "I'm sure he hates me now."

Silas had fond memories of playing with both Kamui and Corrin as children, and he knew how much Corrin looked up to his older twin sister. "Kamui, I'm certain he doesn't hate you. You were always Corrin's hero."

"Ha. When have I ever done anything heroic?" she scoffed.

"Let's see. There's probably too many for me to list them all. You stopped the guards from executing me as a child. You decided to come back to Nohr, even when you didn't have to. You fought valiantly against the Faceless back there. You make everyone around you so happy, Kamui. Don't doubt yourself. Maybe you don't see it yet, but I have always seen a heroic spirit in you."

Kamui tightened her arms around him. "Thanks, Silas." She sighed. "Sorry for getting all sad on you."

"Aw, don't worry about it. That's what friends are for, right? To help each other when times get rough." Silas hoped that he could fulfill that role as Kamui's friend. She was in a tough spot right now.

"Yes, that's true," Kamui replied. "Thank you."

* * *

 

The temperature got much colder the closer they got to the Ice Tribe village. Kamui wished she'd packed warmer clothing, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. As it was, her body was covered in goose bumps, and her hands were starting to go numb.

When she voiced her concerns about the cold, Jakob got worried. "Perhaps we should run. It might warm you up, and it will get us there quicker." Without waiting for Kamui's agreement, the butler took off at a fast sprint, clearly expecting her to follow. Elise was quick to follow, and of course Effie went with her. That left Kamui and Silas; Arthur had yet to rejoin them.

The snow started falling even harder, and Kamui had to squint to see anything. It was too bright, and snow kept getting in her eyes. "The snow is really coming down all of a sudden. Is everyone okay?" she called out.

Silas was the one to answer. "I believe so. But… it looks like we've separated from the others." He was right; the rest of their group was nowhere in sight.

"We have to find them and quickly!" Kamui would never forgive herself if something happened to her little sister while they were separated.

"Don't worry, Kamui. Jakob knows this area well, so they should be fine." Silas grimaced and brushed snow out of her eyes. "Honestly, I'm concerned about the two of us… We must keep pushing forward before we freeze to death."

They continued to march through the snowstorm, with Silas leading his horse. The snow just kept getting thicker. Kamui felt tired, and now her legs were numb, too. She wasn't entirely aware of what she said to Silas, but then she fell in the snow, and everything went black.

* * *

 

Kamui had a splitting headache when she came to. Her body ached all over. She opened her eyes and squinted against a bright light. She moaned and tried to move.

She felt a warm hand rest on her shoulder. "Kamui! Thank goodness… For a while there, I thought I'd lost you."

Kamui managed to sit up and look at her friend. "Silas? What happened?" She rubbed her forehead. "I remembering falling, and then everything went black." She looked around her unfamiliar surroundings. She was laying in a bed with plaid covers, and the room seemed welcoming enough. "More importantly, where are we?" she mused.

"You are safe now, young traveler," an unfamiliar man said. Kamui turned and realized she'd totally missed him. He wore armor that covered his shoulders, sides, and arms; his bosom was unprotected. Underneath his helmet, Kamui could see some graying hair. He smiled down at her. "Welcome to my village. I am Kilma, leader of the Ice Tribe."

_Oh! He must have rescued me from the snow! But doesn't that mean that I'm in the Ice Tribe?_ Kamui pushed aside that thought; what mattered was thanking her savior. She smiled at the leader. "Kilma… Thank you for your kindness. It would seem you saved my life. My name is Kamui. I am the second princess of the kingdom of N-"

Silas cut in. "Kamui! You should rest. Now. You've had a long day."

Kamui gave her friend a quizzical look. "Silas?" Why was he being so rude?

Silas apologized and asked Kilma to allow Kamui to rest some more.

After Kilma was out of hearing, Silas sighed. "Phew… that was a close call."

Kamui frowned; she really didn't understand why he'd said that. "Silas, what was all that about? I feel fine."

Silas quickly reminded her that she was on a mission to suppress the Ice Tribe's rebellion; these people would not react well to knowing they were sheltering a Nohrian princess. What Silas said was true, but she didn't have to like it.

"There's such a fine line between friend and foe, war and peace," Kamui mused. "It's all so… gray."

"Such is the world we live in, I'm afraid," Silas murmured. "I must say, you truly have a remarkable knack for getting into trouble." He ran his fingers through his gray hair. "I never thought this is how we'd breach the village. What should we do now?"

Kamui wasn't sure she had an answer. She was starting to realize that the real world wasn't anything like the stories she'd read in the Fortress. Everyone had some good and bad in them, and her enemies weren't necessarily _bad_. Actually, Kilma was a kind man; Kamui wished Father hadn't sent her on this mission. She had no desire to contend with the Ice Tribe. _What am I going to do? Perhaps I can just talk to him and resolve this peacefully?_

Her time to plan was up; Kilma had returned with a pot of hot tea. "Th-thank you very much," Kamui stuttered.

Kilma talked as he poured the tea. "You know, I usually would not allow strangers into my village like this. However, I made an exception for you two."

Kamui gave him a confused look. She was immensely grateful he had saved her from freezing to death, but why would he go out of his way for them? Was it because she was dying?

Kilma nodded to the golden sword Kamui wore on her belt. "It's that sword you carry, Kamui. That golden blade looks just like that of the hero of legends… It is said the one who wields that blade is destined to save the world."

That sparked Kamui's interest. This was the second time someone had told her that the wielder of the Yato was destined to save the world. Perhaps Kilma could tell her more about the Yato and why both she and Corrin had a Yato.

"As you can imagine, I simply couldn't abandon you after I saw that blade," Kilma continued. "Who knows, maybe you are the hero the world has been waiting for." _Well, that's a frightening thought._ "If so, then there's a chance we will one day break free from those cruel Nohrians."

Kamui couldn't meet his eyes after that. He'd probably just execute her if he knew she was Nohrian royalty sent to end their attempts to break free from Nohr. _Besides, it's not like I'm going to save the world; I keep making way too many mistakes and hurting the people I love. It's a nice thought, though. If anyone is going to save the world, it's definitely Corrin, not me._

She was brought out of such thoughts by the arrival of Kilma's daughter. Both of them gasped when she entered the room. Kilma's daughter was none other than Flora, one of her maids from the Northern Fortress.

"Kamui? Is that you?!" Flora exclaimed.

"Flora?! What are you doing here?" Kamui asked. _I'm pretty sure Flora doesn't have leave to go home when she pleases._

Flora recovered from her shock. "I could ask you the same thing. And I shall. Why are you here, my liege?"

Kilma's brow furrowed. "My liege?"

_Uh oh. So much for keeping my identity a secret…_

"This isn't good…" Silas murmured.

Things only got worse when Elise bounded into the room, closely followed by Jakob. She happily embraced Kamui. "Sister! I knew you'd make it! What a relief! I was so worried once I realized we had gotten separated."

Jakob was equally shocked to see Flora. "Flora?! Why are you here? Didn't you agree to hold down the fort in my absence?" he demanded.

Flora answered his question with one of her own. "Why did you and the others follow me here?"

Jakob shook his head. "Nonsense. Why ever would we follow you? I didn't even know you were here."

Things were being said faster than Kamui could keep up. "Yeah, that's right!" Elise said brightly. "We got here all by ourselves! We can't go back until we suppress the Ice Tribe rebellion like Father ordered!"

Kamui wanted to face palm; this was not how things were supposed to go.

"What?!" Kilma roared.

Silas's expression darkened. "Elise, why would you say that?!"

Elise cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean? It not a secret. Wait… doesn't suppress mean... You know, that we ask them to please stop rebelling? And maybe eat dinner together?" Usually Elise's innocence was endearing, but right now it was leading them straight into the lion's den.

Silas shook his head sadly. "Elise, you don't understand. It's not that easy." _Poor Silas, trying to keep both of us from slipping up._

Kilma was livid now, of course. "All has become clear as ice. You monsters tricked me into helping you so you could infiltrate my village," he accused.

Kamui tried one more pathetic attempt at diplomacy. "I promise you, that was not our intention," she said quickly. _What a mess this has turned into…_

Unsurprisingly, Kilma didn't believe her. He ordered Flora to sound the alarm, which she readily agreed to.

"The Nohrians have infiltrated our village. They must be expelled immediately. And permanently," Flora said coolly.

And with that, the whole village had turned on Kamui's little group. Kamui reluctantly got ready for combat and tried to come up with a way of defending themselves, while not actually seriously harming any of the Ice Tribe people.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

 

Lady Kamui was a kind girl, but she had made a grave mistake siding with the Nohrians. Flora didn't want to harm Kamui or Jakob, but the safety of the village came first. _Can't Lady Kamui see that the ways of the Nohrians are wrong?_

Flora was a little surprised that Corrin hadn't come to the village with his sister; the two of them were pretty much inseparable. Perhaps he'd actually died at the Bottomless Canyon. And Felicia was also absent; hopefully she was at the safety of the castle where she could avoid this mess. Flora didn't want her younger sister getting involved in this conflict; she was too sentimental and would probably refuse to fight Kamui and Jakob.

Flora knew what had to be done, though. _Even if I have to end their lives, I will do it to protect my people._ She would take no joy in it, though. _Hopefully Lady Elise stays away from the fighting; she's little more than a child._

It wasn't long before the battle came to her post near the frozen pond.

"Flora!" That was Lady Kamui's voice.

Flora turned to her liege. Kamui's golden sword was streaked with blood; Flora hoped she hadn't actually slain anyone. The princess's expression was full of regret.

Flora felt the same way. "I'm sorry, Kamui," she called out. "Not for my actions, but for this unfortunate circumstance." She shook her head sadly. "Milady, as your retainer, I know this is tantamount to treason. But my family… my tribe… We simply cannot bow down to Nohrian rule." No matter how much Flora didn't want to hurt Kamui, she would be strong and do her duty to her tribe.

Kamui didn't even get upset with Flora for her betrayal; her crimson eyes shone with pity and understanding. "Flora… No need to apologize," she said. She smiled sadly. "I am the last person ever to begrudge you for your loyalties, my friend."

_Lady Kamui considers me a friend? Whatever have I done to deserve such praise from her? She should hate me for turning against her… But that's not Lady Kamui's way. I really wish she wasn't forced into this situation._

Kamui's resolve hardened. "Still, I shall do all I can to suppress this rebellion, albeit in my own way." Her grip tightened on her sword, and she came in slashing at Flora with great speed.

Flora dodged at the last second and aimed her dagger for Kamui's wrist. Perhaps if Flora could maim her wrist, she would no longer be able to fight. It was the quickest way to finish this with as little bloodshed as possible.

Unfortunately, she was unable to defend herself properly while on the offensive, and Lady Kamui took the opportunity to smack the dagger out of Flora's hand. The dagger went flying, and Flora was unarmed.

Flora gasped for breath. _I knew Lady Kamui was fast, but I never realized how strong she is._ Flora wouldn't go down that easily, though; she could still rely on her ice powers. She raised her hands and created an ice ball between them.

"Flora! Please, stop!" Kamui called out. She lowered her sword and reached out to Flora with her free hand. "I don't want to fight you. Please surrender, and I promise I won't harm you," she pleaded.

Flora shook her head. "You must leave the village, my liege. You are not welcome here." She hurled the ice ball at Kamui.

The Nohrian princess wasn't able to dodge quickly enough, and the ice smacked her in the face. She let out a cry of pain and reflexively rubbed her cheek.

The distraction was enough for Flora to deliver a finishing blow. She grabbed her dagger off of the icy ground and hurled it at her enemy. Kamui's eyes widened, and she raised her blade to block the blow.

Jakob was there in an instant to guard Lady Kamui. He knocked the airborne dagger aside with his own. "Flora!" he roared. "This is inexcusable! How dare you raise your blade in anger against she who you swore to protect!"

Flora's breath caught in her throat. "Jakob…" _I don't want to do this… Why did he have to come with her? Why couldn't he just stay behind with Felicia?_

"In the beginning, I never swore my allegiance." The words were out of her mouth without thought. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Everything came out in a rush now. "I refused. After all, we were little more than hostages." Her voice rose. "Taken as _children_ … All to prevent this from happening, to stop the Ice Tribe from rebelling." She was trembling now. "I often thought of running away, but I never did. I stayed… because of you…" she barely spoke above a whisper now.

_I love you._ She wasn't able to say it, though.

Jakob's expression softened a little. "Flora…"

_No! I cannot be weak and give in because of my feelings. I have much more worth protecting!_ And she was furious with herself for almost telling him that she loved him as they stood as enemies on the battlefield.

"I don't want or need your pity, Jakob!" she snapped. "Let's finish this!"

"Flora, no…" Kamui interrupted. "We don't need more unnecessary bloodshed. Drop your weapon." Flora noticed that she was clutching a glowing blue stone in her left hand now.

_Wait… is that…?_

Things happened faster than Flora was able to keep up with. Kamui's arms changed from human arms to something else. Instead of hands, she now had talons. That was all she was able to take in before Kamui's scaly arm hit Flora in the chest and sent her sprawling to the ground.

_What the…?_

"Jakob, help me bind her hands," Kamui ordered.

"Are you all right, milady?" Jakob inquired, but he did as he was told.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine," Kamui reassured him quickly. "Let's just finish this up. If we can get to Kilma, perhaps we can end the fighting."

"J-Just finish it, why don't you?" Flora croaked. "No point in showing mercy now…" _Not if you're going to kill our leader, my father._

"Sh. Don't be ridiculous, Flora," Kamui said. "Jakob, tend to her wounds, please. Just don't release her yet. I'm going to find Kilma."

"Please wait for me, Lady Kamui. This will only take a moment," Jakob insisted.

Kamui shook her head. "No, I need you to keep an eye on Flora." She flashed the butler a grin. "I'll be fine; don't worry."

"At least have Lord Leo's retainers accompany you."

For some reason, Kamui laughed. "Are you saying that you're actually starting to like them? I've noticed how you act around them."

"Please, just go get them." Jakob sounded exasperated. He never liked to argue with his lieges.

Kamui nodded. "And Flora? I won't kill your father if it comes to that. I'm so sorry this happened…" She dashed off through the snow before Flora could respond.

* * *

 

To Flora's relief, Kamui kept her promise; she spared Father's life, as well as everyone else in the village. To add to her kindness, she ordered Elise and Jakob to tend to the wounded, regardless of what side they fought on.

Father was stunned by the princess's actions. "The Nohrian army fought a battle without murder or brutality? How is this possible? What are you playing at, Princess of Nohr?"

"This is no game, Kilma," Kamui stated. "I don't believe in killing for the sake of killing. Nor am I inclined to repay kindness with violence." Her stern expression softened. "I still owe you my life, after all." She continued to explain how she hoped this would be a turning point for their people. "When my father ordered me to quell this rebellion, I knew I had to do it my way. Whatever the consequences, I want to build a world we can all live in peacefully."

The Nohrian knight who'd arrived with Kamui was surprised at her words. "Could it be… you really did intend to stop this rebellion with words, as Elise said? I would say it must be hereditary, but Elise isn't actually your blood relative."

"Wait, then are you not a princess of Nohr after all?!" Father exclaimed.

This was certainly news for Flora, too. "Lady Kamui, is this true?! I don't believe it!" If Kamui and Corrin weren't King Garon's children, then what did that mean?

Kamui expression darkened momentarily. "It is true, Flora. I found out during my brief time in Hoshido. I am not King Garon's true daughter, nor this kingdom's true princess," she confirmed. "But I wish nothing more than to end this war, for all of us and for all kingdoms. That is why I must do all I can to make Father recognize me as his daughter again."

Flora shook her head at the revelation. "I had no idea. I seem to have missed a lot after leaving the Northern Fortress… But how did you end up in Hoshido, milady?"

Flora listened as Kamui told about how she and Corrin had been kidnapped and taken to Hoshido, which they learned was their true home. She explained how she had returned to Nohr, but Corrin- and Felicia- had stayed with Hoshido.

"So my sister… is in Hoshido?" Flora clarified. She'd just assumed Felicia would be back at the castle after finding Kamui again.

Kamui nodded. "Kilma, Flora, please don't worry. The Hoshidans are good people, and I know Corrin will look out for her." She smiled gently. "I know Felicia is going to be just fine."

Flora couldn't say she was too surprised to learn that Felicia had chosen to remain with Corrin; her twin had a soft spot for the prince, after all. Flora had given her enough lectures about being infatuated with royalty over the past few years. But did Kamui know about that?

"Are you upset, milady?" Flora asked.

Kamui gave her a quizzical look. "I beg your pardon?"

"Are you upset that Felicia stayed with Corrin, instead of remaining with you?" Flora clarified.

Kamui shook her head. "Of course not. I think she'll be better off with Corrin anyway. And Jakob stayed with me, so it's only fair Corrin would have a retainer with him, too."

Flora chuckled at that. "Oh, I'm sure she's thrilled to have Prince Corrin all to herself," she hinted.

Kamui shrugged. "Well, sometimes I think I'm the evil twin, so it makes sense that she'd want to be with Corrin over me."

Flora couldn't hold back her smile now. "You do know Felicia has a huge crush on Corrin, right?"

Kamui's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! I had no idea!" A genuine grin graced her features. "Oh, they'd make such a good couple, don't you think?"

"That's not for me to say, milady," Flora answered tactfully.

"Oh, they would," Kamui insisted. She got a dreamy expression on her face. "Just think about it… the wedding… their kids..." Flora was regretting saying anything to Kamui about this. She was Corrin's sister after all. And a hopeless romantic.

The knight coughed. "Ahem. Kamui, try to remain focused."

That brought her back to reality. "Oh, right. Sorry, Silas." She whispered to Flora, "We can talk about our siblings later." _Oh, my. What have I done?_

After a long discussion, Father agreed to cooperate with Kamui's request to halt the rebellion, in return for her coming up with a nonviolent way to give them back their freedom. Flora supposed she shouldn't be too surprised by this outcome; Lady Kamui had a knack for coming up with unique solutions to problems and she was a pacifist.

Flora still couldn't forget how Kamui had physically changed somehow in the battle. In all her years caring for the princess, she'd never seen Kamui do anything like that.

"Lady Kamui, may I have a word in private?" Flora asked quietly.

Kamui's smile was encouraging. "Of course, Flora! Kilma, may I speak to you afterwards? There's something I would like to ask you about."

Father nodded his assent.

Flora waited until he was gone to speak to Kamui. "Lady Kamui, can you ever forgive me? I know I betrayed my oath to serve you and ran away from the castle, but…"

Kamui waved away her apology. "No need to apologize, Flora. You did nothing wrong. It was wrong of the Nohrian kingdom to corner you like that, especially as a child." She smiled kindly. "I will, as ever, speak highly of you to Father."

Flora relaxed at those words. "Your kindness knows no bounds, Lady Kamui. Thank you. Though I previously refused to do so, I here and now swear my fealty to you." After all that Kamui had done for her, it was the least Flora could do.

Kamui giggled. "No need to go overboard, Flora. You have more than proven your fealty to me, as well as your friendship."

As usual, Kamui was quick to forgive, but apologizing wasn't the only reason Flora had asked to speak to her privately. "Milady, if I may ask, what did you do during the battle?"

Kamui's smile instantly faded. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry for asking, but I'm only looking after your wellbeing," Flora hastily explained. "I've never seen you do something like that with your arms before. Is it a new branch of magic you're learning?"

Kamui bit her lip and looked at her feet, considering how to best answer. "Well… I trust you with the truth, but very few people know this." She took a deep breath. "I'm… a dragon. And I had a partial transformation during our battle."

Flora's eyes widened. _A dragon?!_ _Perhaps I heard her incorrectly._ "I beg your pardon, milady, but did you just say that you're a… that you're a dragon?"

Kamui nodded. "Yes. I found that out about myself during my time in Hoshido as well. Apparently Corrin and I have very strong dragon blood in our veins." She gazed off into the distance. "So strong that we can take the form of dragons."

"I… I had no idea," Flora finally said after a long silence.

Kamui shook her head. "No one did, I think." She pulled a glowing blue stone out of her pouch. It was the one Flora had glimpsed before. "This is my dragonstone," she explained. "Azura- a princess in Hoshido- gave it to me after my first full transformation. It helps keep me in control of my… inner dragon, I suppose. I think I started to lose control on the battlefield though." She frowned in concern. "I didn't injure you too badly, right?"

Flora shook her head. "I'll recover, milady. Thank you for your concern, though."

Kamui didn't seem convinced, but she didn't argue the point further. "I haven't told Father about this," she said. "The Hoshidans know because I transformed in front of them, and I told my Nohrian siblings, but… I don't think telling Father right now is a good idea. So please keep this a secret for me?"

"You're too trusting, Lady Kamui. I'll keep your secret, but I advise you to be more cautious about who you share it with."

Kamui smiled gently. "Like I said, I trust you, Flora."

"Even after I betrayed you?" Flora whispered.

"Well, you did just swear your fealty to me," she pointed out. "So I'm not too concerned about that."

Flora gasped when Kamui spontaneously threw her arms around her. Kamui's embrace was much warmer than Flora was used to. "Flora, thank you for being there for me all those years growing up. I am proud to consider you a friend," she said.

"No. Thank _you_ for being my friend." Kamui was a much better friend to Flora than Flora was to her.

Kamui giggled softly. "Then, as your friend, it's my duty to tell you that you should tell Jakob how you feel."

Flora wasn't expecting her to bring up _that_. "What… What are you talking about?" she stuttered.

Kamui pulled away and grinned mischievously. "Sorry, but I did overhear what you said earlier to Jakob… And I kind of pieced the rest of it together."

Flora felt herself blushing. "W-Well… perhaps that's true, but Jakob and I both have you to look out for." She shook her head. "It wouldn't do for us to… get close like that." _Even if I want to…_

Kamui giggled. "Flora, relax. Tell him when you're ready. And for the record, I think you're perfectly capable of protecting me _and_ having a life with Jakob. You deserve to have happiness in your life."

"I'll consider your advice, Lady Kamui," Flora replied as politely as she could. Now wouldn't be a prudent time to confess her love for Jakob, but perhaps in the future…

"Wonderful," Kamui replied enthusiastically. She grabbed Flora's hand. "Now, you should take me on a tour of your village. I've heard so much about it from you and Felicia, and I want to see as much of it as I can while I'm here."

"It pleases me to hear you say that," Flora replied.

Kamui tugged her along. "Great! And maybe you could show me the penguins. I've never seen one before in real life, and the paintings of them are so beautiful." She sighed. "The world truly is a wonderful place, isn't it? Things aren't perfect, but there is a lot of good in this world."

 "It truly is a beautiful world, Lady Kamui," Flora agreed.

* * *

 

Kamui still couldn't believe things had gone so well with the Ice Tribe today. There hadn't been any fatalities on either side, and Kilma had agreed to halt the rebellion for now. She knew she should return to Castle Krakenburg as soon as possible, but there was one more thing she needed to discuss with Kilma.

She found the opportunity to speak to the village leader again by the campfire that evening.

"Kilma, may I ask you about something?"

He nodded. "Yes, Princess Kamui. What would you like to ask?"

"Well… it's about my sword, the Yato. You mentioned that your people have legends about the Yato. I was wondering if you could tell me more?" Kamui brushed her fingers against the sword's hilt. "There's still so much I don't know. I've only had the Yato for a few days now."

Kilma stroked his chin. "We don't have many details about the legendary sword, except that its wielder is a hero destined to save the world."

Kamui nodded. Yukimura had said much of the same thing back in Hoshido. Perhaps Kilma had more information, though. "Do you know the origins of the Yato?"

"It is one of the divine weapons forged thousands of years ago to help fight a war against the First Dragons," Kilma explained. "It is said that it was the most powerful of those weapons and was key to ending the war. Its power was sealed after the war, until it would choose another hero to wield it." He looked deep into Kamui's eyes. "It seems that hero is you, young princess."

The thought was still unnerving for Kamui. _Me? Save the world? Why would the Yato choose me of all people? Well, and Corrin, too._

"And there is only one Yato, correct?" Kamui verified.

Kilma raised an eyebrow at the question. "Yes… Why do you ask that?"

"When I found the Yato, I was with my twin brother, Corrin." She couldn't resist a quick tease. "The one Felicia is interested in," she whispered as an aside. "The Yato sort of duplicated itself, then. Corrin got one Yato, and I got the other." Kamui frowned and gazed into the embers of the campfire. "The Hoshidans don't have any stories about the Yato being duplicated, so I was wondering if you knew anything about that."

"That is very interesting," Kilma commented. "To answer your question, no, we do not have any specific legends about a duplicated Yato. However, it is said that the Rainbow Sage was the one to forge the weapons. I am not sure how true that is, but if anyone knew what was going on, it would be him."

That wasn't very helpful to Kamui. "Well, it's a little difficult to ask him if he's dead. If Yato was forged thousands of years ago, then surely its creator would be deceased by now. Thank you for your information, though." She started to stand.

Kilma held up a hand. "Just a moment, young one. I wasn't finished."

Kamui blushed at her rashness. "Sorry, please continue."

"The Rainbow Sage is still alive," Kilma explained. "If our information is correct, he currently resides in Notre Sagesse."

Well, that was even more puzzling. "Still alive? But that's…" Kamui was going to say _impossible_ , but thought better of it.

"Magical beings tend to live longer lives than the average human," Kilma noted.

"Well, you have given me much to think about, Kilma," Kamui said. She'd ponder his words during the return to Nohr. She stood to go. "Thank you for your time and for your cooperation in pursuing the path of peace. And thank you again for allowing us to spend the night here. We'll leave at first light."

"Of course, Princess Kamui. I'm glad our paths have crossed."

Kamui smiled down at the older man. "So am I. Perhaps we'll see each other again in the future."

"One can hope. I wish you the best in the difficult path ahead of you," Kilma said. "May you bring peace to this world."


	14. New Objectives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Kamui's return, the Nohrian royals receive new missions from King Garon. In the meantime, Hoshido makes its preparations for war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I finally finished the chapter today, so yay! This chapter sort of has three different parts, but it's setting the stage for future events. I was planning on focusing solely on the Hoshidans; but after going over the timeline, I realized I had a little more to add for the Nohrians, but that part isn't very long.

Xander was relieved when Kamui returned home safe and sound. After overhearing Father's plans to sabotage Kamui's mission, he took matters into his own hands and sent aid for his younger sister. He knew going against Father was dangerous, but in this case, it had probably saved Kamui's life.

"Xander, if Silas, Elise, and the others hadn't caught up to me, I don't know if I would have made it," she admitted after the siblings were gathered in Xander's quarters. "So thank you so much for sending them." She gave Xander a warm hug.

"You're welcome, little princess," Xander replied with a slight smile. "It is my duty to watch out for you, after all."

Leo cleared his throat. "I trust Niles and Odin weren't too much of a nuisance?"

Kamui looked at their brother and let out a small gasp, as if she'd forgotten something. "Oh, Leo. They were such a help at the end. Perhaps they're a little odd, but thank you for allowing your retainers to come help me."

She pulled Leo into a tight embrace, which made his face go red. His eyes danced around the room, and he avoided eye contact with anyone. "It's no big deal," he huffed. Xander was slightly amused at how easily flustered Leo could be.

"Hey, what about me?" Elise demanded.

Kamui let go of Leo and embraced Elise. "Oh, Elise, you were fantastic! Thank you so much for joining me." She also gave Camilla a big hug."Oh, I love all of you so much!" she gushed. She released Camilla and looked about the room. "And now for C-" Her face fell as she remembered that Corrin was no longer with them.

"Have you reported to Father yet?" Leo asked, breaking the tension in the room.

Kamui's eyes widened. "Oh! I should probably do that, shouldn't I?" She yawned. "Do you think it can wait until morning? I'm awfully tired."

"Corrin, it is crucial that you meet with Father immediately," Xander told her.

Kamui blanched, and Xander realized his mistake. He'd called her _Corrin_ , instead of Kamui. Corrin, who should have been there completing his own missions. Corrin, the brother Xander had mentored since he was a child. Corrin, the one who had betrayed them all. "Er, _Kamui_ ," Xander hastily corrected. "You need to meet with Father, _Kamui_."

Kamui nodded silently. "Will all of you come with me?" She fidgeted with a lock of silver hair. "I'm a little nervous talking to Father by myself."

"Of course, _Kamui_." Camilla gave Xander a meaningful look. "We're with you every step of the way."

* * *

 

Father almost had Kamui executed again. At this point, no one should have been surprised. It was truly a miracle that Kamui was still alive, which Leo was immensely grateful for, of course.

Leo had hoped that they could keep Kamui's additional help on her mission a secret, but Iago had to open his big mouth and blurt out the truth. That kicked off another ridiculous argument about who should be executed. This time, even _Elise_ was in danger. _This has to stop,_ Leo decided. He couldn't stand by and watch his siblings' lives put in danger anymore. But what was he to do?

The argument reached its climax when Xander demanded, "Father, kill me or kill no one. That is all there is to it."

Father scratched his beard. "Enough. I have no intention of harming any of my beloved children," he finally said. _I don't believe you, Father, but if it keeps them alive, I'll play along tonight._ "Though it was not exactly as I requested, she did accomplish her mission," he continued. "By the grace of Anankos, I shall let this pass. She is, after all, still my daughter."

Leo felt instant relief knowing that his siblings were safe tonight. Tensions in the royal family had escalated since Kamui and Corrin had left the Northern Fortress. Everyone except the twins knew very well that one misstep could cost their lives. Now that Corrin was gone, Kamui was the one most likely to face the permanent consequences of Father's wrath.

Iago, of course, was less than pleased with the King's decision regarding Kamui."King Garon! You can't mean that!" he squawked. Father just ignored Iago's objections.

Kamui's shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. "Thank you, Father!" She turned to Xander. "And you, Xander. Thank you for looking out for me, even at the risk of your own life."

"Think nothing of it, little princess," Xander replied. "Such is the duty of an older brother."

_What about me? I gave you my retainers, Kamui. Why does Xander get all of the credit, as usual?_ Leo knew that keeping his involvement a secret was for his own safety, but he was tired of not having his efforts recognized. _Kamui_ did _thank me earlier,_ he reminded himself. _With a really big hug._ To his embarrassment, his pulse quickened at the memory. _So I might like getting hugs from Kamui, not that I'd ever tell anyone that._

While Leo's thoughts wandered, Father had given Kamui a new mission. She was to go conquer Notre Sagesse and make sure the Hoshidans couldn't have any influence there.  Well, his exact words were, "Head there immediately and eradicate all Hoshidan soldiers you find along the way!"

Kamui visibly paled. "Y-You want me to fight against the Hoshidan army?!" she stuttered.

Father directed his cold stare on her. "That's not a problem, is it?" He raised an eyebrow. "Or, after all that, are you reluctant to raise a sword against the kingdom of your birth?"

They could all sense that this was the case, but Kamui bowed her head and agreed to complete the mission without fail.

_I'm going with her this time._ Father hadn't forbidden them to aid Kamui in this task, so it shouldn't be a problem. Leo found the courage to step forward and speak to their father. "Father, if I may, I'd like to accompany Kamui on this mission." His heart was in his throat while he waited for Father's answer. He just knew that if he let Kamui out of his sight again, something bad was bound to happen to her.

"I do not grant your request, boy," Father grumbled. "I have other uses for your skills at the moment." _Is that true, or does he just not want me to go with her? What things does he have planned for Kamui this time?_

Leo bowed his head respectfully, although he clenched his fists at his sides. "Yes, Father," he replied.

Kamui met his eyes and gave him a smile, as if to say that everything would be all right. Well, she did have the devil's own luck, so chances were that everything would be fine. She did have a talent for getting into trouble, though.

"May I go with her, Father?" Elise asked.

To Leo's annoyance, Father granted her request. Why could _Elise_ go, while he was to remain here again? Well, if she was going, Father probably won't be putting Kamui in _too_ dangerous of a situation _,_ so perhaps it was a good thing that Elise was going, after all. Leo still wished he could go too.

Father stood. "Xander, Camilla, Leo, I have another mission for the three of you," he announced before Xander and Camilla could make the same request. "You are to travel to Mokushu and form an alliance with them against the Hoshidans. As a reward for their compliance, I will allow them to increase their territory after Hoshido has been conquered."

"Yes, Father," Xander replied. He glanced at Camilla and Leo. "We will not let you down."

"Good. I want all of you to leave as soon as possible. We cannot waste time while those pesky Hoshidans try to take those territories from us."

* * *

 

Ryoma and Takumi departed for Izumo the day after Mikoto's funeral. Normally they would have had more time for grieving and making plans for Ryoma's coronation, but with the complete outbreak of war with Nohr, there were more pressing matters at hand. Mikoto's magical barrier that protected Hoshido from direct attacks from Nohrians was gone, and no one knew how to recreate her barrier. That was no longer a way to protect Hoshido from Nohr, so they needed to form alliances with other nations before the Nohrians did.

Izumo was known for its neutrality, but Ryoma hoped that by getting there first, Hoshido could make sure that the Nohrians didn't conquer the nation. He hoped that Izumo could offer supplies and, in return, Hoshidan soldiers would keep out the Nohrian threat.

They did not take a direct route to Izumo. Instead, they went out of their way to ensure the defenses of every town and village along the way. The quantity of Faceless attacks had increased since the war started, and several small villages had been destroyed by the monsters.

It was on the fifth day of their journey that the Nohrians launched a stronger attack against them.

Ryoma's group was traveling between villages when a young boy ran up to them. The boy rested his hands on his knees and caught his breath before speaking. "A-Are you Lord Ryoma?" he asked.

Ryoma nodded. "Yes, I am Lord Ryoma. Where are you going in such a hurry?"

The boy's eyes were wide with fear. "They… they're here. Father told me to run for help. Please, Your Majesty, we need your help."

"Slow down, please. Who's here?"

"The Nohrians. They're marching south of our village, and I'm scared that they'll destroy us."

Takumi growled under his breath. "Those scum. That's a new low for them- attacking defenseless villagers." He flexed Fujin Yumi in his hands. "I'll tear them apart for what they're done!"

Ryoma held up a hand to silence his outspoken younger brother, although he silently agreed with Takumi. "Show us where they are," he commanded the boy. _Those Nohrians don't waste any time going on the offense, do they?_

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," the boy stuttered.

It took them about twenty minutes to arrive at the village. Fortunately, the Nohrians hadn't begun an assault on the village. A scout took Ryoma and his companions south to where the Nohrian army was invading.

Prince Xander was easy to pick out, even with the fading daylight. He sat proudly on his black stallion. Ryoma noted that this army mostly consisted of cavalier and wyvern riders. The enemy hadn't appeared to notice the Hoshidans yet. That gave them the advantage.

"Takumi, lead a group of archers to take out the wyverns," Ryoma ordered. "The rest of you, focus on the cavalier. I will take on Prince Xander myself." If he could kill the Nohrian prince here and now, it would be a grievous blow to Nohr. "We must defend Hoshido!"

With a roar, Ryoma led the attack on the enemy's flank.

"Milord, Hoshidans approaching from the north!" he faintly heard a solder cry.

The two small armies clashed. Ryoma cut his way through the enemy, hoping to take out Xander. He lost track of Kagero, but figured she'd still be close by.

Xander was guarded by a female cavalier with blue and pink hair, probably one of his own retainers. "Ooh! Can I get stabby now?" she practically squealed with delight. _Bloodthirsty Nohrian scum._

Xander stared down at Ryoma. "Prince Ryoma, it appears it is time we finish what was started when you stole my brother from us."

"You lie, Prince Xander!" Ryoma retorted. "Corrin is _my_ brother and he chose to remain with us of his own free will. _You_ are the one who kidnapped my sister and filled her mind with your lies!"

Xander raised his dark sword. "Words are useless. Let us settle this on the battlefield!"

* * *

 

The Hoshidans' simple battle plan worked for the Nohrian army's advantage. The Nohrians far outnumbered the Hoshidans, and Leo ordered their troops to force part of the Hoshidan army west of their position. The Bottomless Canyon was not far, and the Hoshidans would be trapped with nowhere to go.

The Hoshidans fought like lions, but the Nohrians were able to slowly push them back to the canyon. Leo realized too late that somehow Xander and Peri were left behind, locked in single combat with Prince Ryoma of Hoshido. Taking out the Hoshidan prince should be the greater priority, but Leo couldn't simply ignore the rest of the Hoshidans.

"Camilla!" he shouted to his sister.

Her wyvern swooped over to him. "What is it, Leo?" Camilla yelled.

"I need you to go aid Xander back there. This is our chance to take out their High Prince!"

"Excellent! Make sure you don't mess up here, little brother," Camilla called out before following Leo's orders.

Leo would make certain that he didn't mess this up. The sooner they finished the war, the better.

They were close enough to the mountains by the canyon that Leo could make use of Brynhildr's control over earth. He raised his arm and used his divine weapon to trigger a landslide that would stop the Hoshidans for now. Rocks and dirt rolled down the mountains onto the Hoshidan army. Leo heard cries of fear and pain when the landslide hit the Hoshidans. Some of the landslide fell into the Bottomless Canyon, but the majority of it stopped near the edge of the cliff. There would be many casualties from the landslide, but most likely very few fatalities.

Leo could eliminate all of them here and now, but the thought of Kamui's reaction if she found out flashed through his mind. She'd been distraught when she thought he'd executed those defenseless Hoshidan prisoners. If he killed a whole battalion without mercy, Kamui might never forgive him. He couldn't upset her like that, not when she was already dealing with the loss of Corrin. Leo was disgusted with himself for even considering it; perhaps Father would do such a thing, but Leo was not his father.

"We're finished here," he called out. "Let's regroup with Xander and continue the mission." The enemy was incapacitated at the moment; that was all they really needed right now.

Leo and the Nohrian army regrouped with Xander and Camilla. Unfortunately, Prince Ryoma and some other Hoshidans had escaped due to all the chaos. No matter. They could take care of the High Prince later. Fulfilling Father's mission to Mokushu was of greater precedence.

* * *

 

Before leaving for Izumo, Ryoma had ordered Corrin to remain behind with Azura, Hinoka, and Sakura to defend the capital, in case the Nohrians struck again. Corrin was happy to help, but he felt sort of useless just sitting around waiting for something to happen. _I should have gone with Ryoma and Takumi; they could use my help._ But, Corrin wasn't going to run off on his own and create chaos by not following orders. He'd stay at the capital until he was needed elsewhere.

He spent his time meeting Hoshidan commoners, trying to master his dragon powers, and getting to know his new Hoshidan friends better. He couldn't stop thinking about Kamui, though. _I really hope she's okay. If King Garon has her executed, then…_ No, he wouldn't think about that. Xander and the others would protect Kamui; Corrin just had to trust them. Not knowing was driving him crazy, though.

A few days after the funeral, Corrin found himself pacing around his and Kamui's old bedroom, while Felicia tried to keep the room in order.

"It doesn't bother you that I'm here while you work, right?" Corrin asked her after a few moments. He really didn't want to be in her way.

Felicia shook her head. "Of course not, Lord Corrin. You don't need my permission to be in your own room."

Corrin flopped back on his bed. "I know. It's just, isn't there some sort of unspoken rule that the liege isn't supposed to be in the room while the servants are cleaning?"

Felicia dropped her duster and gasped. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry for invading your privacy. I can come back later if you like, milord-"

Corrin cut her off. "Felicia, please feel free to do your work while I'm here. I don't mind at all. I just don't want to be in your way… You know, perhaps I could help you with the cleaning, so you're done sooner?"

She shook her head and picked up the duster again. "You don't need to do that, milord. I actually enjoy doing my maid duties. I like to take care of people."

Corrin ignored her protests and took the duster from her hands. "I know. You have a kind heart, Felicia. But you should rest sometimes. Let me finish the dusting."

"O-Okay. If you insist…" Felicia looked a little crestfallen, though.

"Felicia…"

Corrin was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in!" he called.

Azura entered. "Corrin, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Don't worry, Azura," Corrin reassured her. He'd have more time to talk with Felicia later and to apologize for hurting her feelings. At least, he felt like he'd hurt her feelings just now. Although, he didn't know why, exactly. _Kamui could probably tell me why, if she were here._

Azura sighed in relief. "Good. I just came to tell you that Yukimura has requested that we go aid Sakura at Fort Jinya today. There are many wounded there, and he wants to make such the fort is defended… Would you be able to make the journey today?"

Corrin instantly got to his feet. "Absolutely. It's not like I have much to do around here anyway."

Azura giggled. "Are you that bored here, Corrin?"

Corrin flushed. "No, it's just I want to do more than sit around, waiting for something to happen."

Felicia coughed. "Lord Corrin, should I step out?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "Please stay. You'll probably need to hear this, too." He turned back to Azura. "Has something happened at Fort Jina?"

"Fort _Jinya_ ," Azura corrected. "And I don't know for sure, but I believe many of the wounded are from the battle on the plains the other day."

"So it's not too far from here?"

"It's about a two hour march away," Azura answered.

"Great! I'll be ready to leave soon," Corrin assured her. "Felicia, will you be able to join us? We could really use your healing abilities."

Felicia nodded. "Of course, Lord Corrin. I'd be happy to come."

* * *

 

Lord Corrin seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble. As children, he and Lady Kamui had frequently gotten in trouble, although most of the time Lady Kamui seemed to be the one getting them into scrapes. Felicia had hoped that without his sister's influence, Corrin would be just fine, but he seemed to be a magnet for problems.

The excursion to Fort Jinya had started out well, but as soon as they'd arrived, the fort was under attack from Nohrian forces. It was almost as if the Nohrians had known Corrin would be there.

Felicia wasn't the only one annoyed that they would attack wounded people; Lady Sakura was outraged that they would do such a thing. "I can't believe they'd attack at a time like this!" The Hoshidan princess exclaimed. "We're using most of the fort as a makeshift hospital- there's no military target here! Why can't they just leave us alone?"

"Lord Corrin, what would you like me to do?" Felicia asked. She would prefer to protect her liege, but she would do whatever he ordered her to do.

"Felicia, I'd like you to watch over Sakura and the wounded," Corrin began.

Lady Sakura interrupted him. "Wait, Corrin! I have Hana and Subaki to guard me; please have your retainer protect you in battle; I can't stand to lose you again!"

Lord Corrin considered his sister's request for a moment. "Alright. That works, too. Felicia, you're with me, then… Kaze, please accompany Azura," he ordered.

"Of course, milord," Kaze answered.

Corrin didn't have time to give more detailed orders, because the Nohrians were already on top of them. They were terribly outnumbered; Felicia soon found herself overwhelmed by the number of enemies. When she got separated from Corrin, she started to panic. _If I don't get out of here soon, then they'll kill me, and Lord Corrin, too. Oh, I don't know what to do!_

An enemy almost beheaded her with a battle axe, and Felicia screamed in terror. That was a terrible mistake; soon, all of the enemies seemed to converge on her, and she couldn't get away. She had no choice but to fight her way out.

Felicia had always been good in combat, which wasn't something she was really proud of. But it proved useful in this conflict. She dodged and jabbed at her enemies with her daggers. It felt like by some miracle she was able to survive the battle alive. _I can't let myself get surrounded like that again._

She was relieved to see Corrin had survived without injury. "Lord Corrin, I'm so sorry I failed to protect you-" she began.

"I'm fine, Felicia." Corrin noticed her wounds. "But what about you? Your arm is bleeding." He grabbed her hand. "Come, let's get Sakura to tend to you."

Felicia felt herself blush at his attentions. _Stop this,_ she told herself. _It's not right for me to feel this way when all he does is touch me. I think my crush is getting worse… Flora would be so mad at me._

"I'm glad you're okay," Corrin told her as he led her to the infirmary. "I think that was one of the bravest things I've ever seen."

"What are you talking about?"

"When you got the enemy's attention by screaming," Corrin clarified. "And then, you not only got them to come after you, you took them all out too! I've never seen such a bold strategy! And such bravery!"

_He sounds so impressed, but all I did was act like a coward. And I left my liege alone without protection._

Her thoughts must have shown on her face because Corrin looked at her in concern. "Felicia?! What's wrong?" he asked.

Felicia just felt miserable. Here he was trying to complement her, and she was acting like a total fool. Corrin deserved to hear the truth about her. "You really don't understand, do you? That wasn't a strategy, Corrin! I was just trying to run away from them, and then I got surrounded. I had to fight my way out or die! I wasn't being brave. I was terrified." She felt all the worse for admitting it to Corrin of all people.

Corrin seemed surprised by her confession. "Oh, really? Could have fooled me…" he commented.

Felicia just shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry you got stuck with me, instead of Jakob. I wish I could be a good maid for you, but all I seem to do is mess things up. Jakob could at least competently serve you."

"No! Don't say that!" Corrin insisted. His grip tightened on her hand. "I'm happy you're here. And you… you help out with…" He struggled to find words. "Oh, look! Here's Sakura. Let's have her take a look at your arm." Corrin led her over to the pink-haired girl.

_Great. Even Corrin can't think of anything useful I've done._

Sakura gestured for her to sit down. "F-Felicia, what wrong? You look so sad," she noted. "Oh, that was probably too forward of me; I'm sorry for intruding," she added quickly. "Your cut isn't deep, and I should be able to mend it quickly."

Felicia sighed. Now people were just worrying about her even more. "Thank you, milady," she mumbled.

Since Sakura was working on her, Felicia was present when the latest news came. Two Hoshidans entered the room in a rush. One was a one-eyed ninja, and the other was a dark-haired woman.

"Lady Sakura, we've got bad news," the ninja said gravely.

The woman added, "This is an emergency!"

Sakura finished working on Felicia's arm, and then went to the new comers. "Saizo, Orochi… What happened to you?" She looked them over. "You're both wounded!" She grabbed their hands and tried to have them sit down.

The woman, Orochi, shook her head. "Our wounds are nothing, but as for Lord Ryoma and Lord Takumi…"

Sakura paled. "What?! What happened to them?"

"They're missing," Orochi answered simply. "Last anyone saw them, they were headed to Izumo. It's possible they were captured en route. I hate to think of the alternative…"

This only added to Sakura's distress. "No! No, no, no, no…" She started to hyperventilate a little.

Kaze placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lady Sakura, please take a deep breath," he urged. He looked at the newcomers. "Saizo, Orochi… Please tell me you're joking," he said.

The other ninja glared at him. "Yes, I'm well known for my japes, aren't I?" he snapped. His glare hardened. "I blame myself. I should have been at Lord Ryoma's side every step of the way."

Orochi let out a little exclamation. "Oh! Lord Corrin, it's so good to see you again. You remember me, right?"

Corrin nodded. "Yes, I met you my first night in Hoshido…" He frowned slightly. "You got along well with Kamui, I recall."

Orochi's eyes saddened at the mention of Corrin's twin. "Yes, she's a kind woman…" She cleared her throat. "But perhaps _you_ could help us. Our tactician, Yukimura, is readying the troops to march on Izumo. Time is of the essence! Will you join us in search of Lord Ryoma and Lord Takumi?"

Corrin answered without hesitation, "Yes, of course. We'll support you in any way that we can."

Orochi flashed him a bright smile. "Thank you, Corrin."

"I'm coming with you," Sakura said while she tended to Orochi's wounds.

Kaze coughed. "Lady Sakura, I strongly recommend that you reconsider. The battlefield near the border is highly dangerous, and…"

"I don't care!" Sakura snapped. "I can't just stay here and do nothing." Even with her reserved nature, her eyes shone with a fierce determination. "If there's anything I can do to help my brothers, I need to be in position to do it."

Felicia could relate to that sentiment. It was why she was here. She couldn't just do nothing knowing that Corrin was out here fighting for his life.

Corrin was a little overprotective, as usual. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. But I'm afraid I agree with Kaze…" he started.

Azura cut into the conversation then. "Corrin… Sakura just lost her mother, and now her brothers are missing. It's understandable she would want to accompany us. With my help, I believe we can provide adequate protection."

Corrin nodded. He always seemed to take Azura's suggestions seriously. Felicia couldn't help but wonder if the prince had a crush on her. _Oh, don't think about that!_

"Very well," Corrin said. "I won't try to stop you, Sakura. I just hope you understand the risks."

Sakura met Corrin's gaze solemnly. "Thank you, Corrin. I do… Let me finish attending to Orochi and Saizo, and then I'm ready to leave when you are."

"Great," Corrin said. His brow was furrowed with worry, though.

"Cheer up, Lord Corrin," Felicia whispered to him. "We'll find your brothers."

Corrin gave her a small smile in return. Felicia hoped that somehow she could ease the burden on the prince's shoulders. Or at least not add to his growing pile of problems. She was more likely to do the latter, though.

* * *

Hours later, Corrin stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. "So we have to go through here to get to Izumo?" he asked with a low whistle. "That's a lot of stairs."

"Yes, Corrin," Azura told him. "This is the most direct route to get to Izumo." They'd already had this conversation multiple times, but for some reason her friend just wasn't getting it.

"Seems like it would be the scenic route," Corrin muttered. "But without any scenery."

Azura raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not like you to complain like this, Corrin. Is something the matter?" Usually Corrin was so optimistic, but not right now.

"I'm sorry, Azura." Corrin covered a yawn. "I think I'm a bit tired," he admitted. "It's been a long day. But I'll be all right."

"P-Perhaps we should rest for the night," Sakura suggested. "We'll need to be well-rested for whatever may happen."

Corrin ran his fingers through his messy hair. "I suppose you're right, Sakura… I just wish we could keep going without stopping. I'm worried we won't get to Ryoma and Takumi in time."

Azura placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Corrin, you're tired and stressed. Sakura's right: we should all get some sleep." She thought for a moment. "If you like, I could sing you a lullaby to help you sleep," she offered.

"That's… probably a good idea," Corrin conceded. He raised his voice. "Alright, everyone! We're making camp here for the night."

Azura did her best to help set up tents, but it was a little difficult because of her short stature. _Oh well. I'll just find a better way to help out._

Corrin approached her after camp was set up. "Hey, Azura? Could you actually come sing for me? I've been having troubling sleeping lately…"

Azura smiled up at him. "Of course, Corrin. I would love to." She followed him to his tent and sat on a wooden stool next to his bed.

She began to hum her mother's lullaby to him after he was settled in bed. It was a bittersweet song for Azura. She loved it because it reminded her of her mother, but that reminded her that her mother wasn't with her anymore. And she knew it had significance to the royal family of Valla. _I guess there's three of us left now, since Aunt Mikoto passed away: Corrin, Kamui, and me._

"Hey, Azura?" Corrin interrupted her musings.

"Mhm?"

His eyes were closed and he was on the edge of dreamland. "Is that the song you sang for Kamui? When she was a dragon?"

"Yes, Corrin. It's the same one," Azura said softly.

"It's beautiful," he murmured. "Perhaps you can teach me the lyrics tomorrow while we march?"

"I'd be happy to," Azura told him. It was probably a good idea to pass it on to another Vallite royal. Since Corrin was Mikoto's son, he also carried that noble blood in his veins.

"Thanks," Corrin mumbled.

After a few more minutes his breathing became more steady, and he was fast asleep. _I wonder if this is what it's like to put your child to bed,_ Azura mused. _I hope I'm able to do that someday…_ She quietly left Corrin's tent and made her way to her own.

The autumn air was cool, and Azura wished she had a shawl with her. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried not to shiver.

"Azura, would you like to borrow my coat?"

Kaze's quiet voice startled Azura, but she should have been used to it that this point. The ninja was stealthy and only made his presence known when he wished it. Azura looked back and smiled at the ninja.

"I would. Thank you, Kaze," she said gratefully.

Kaze had already taken off his brown coat, which was thin, but warm. Azura instantly felt much better after she put it on. And, she noticed with a blush, it smelled like Kaze, too.

"Thank you for watching out for me today," she continued as they walked. "I'm still not very accustomed to actual combat, so it can be a little overwhelming sometimes."

"Of course. It is my duty to protect members of the royal family," Kaze said.

Azura smiled at him. Of course he'd say something dignified like that. "Well, I felt very safe with you at my side," she said.

Maybe Azura was imagining it, but she could have sworn that the ninja blushed a little. "As always, I'm happy to be of assistance," he said quickly. "As such, I'm going to finish my rounds before retiring to bed." And just like that, Kaze was gone, as if he hadn't been standing right next to her seconds ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I snagged part of Corrin and Felicia's C support conversation after the battle at Fort Jinya. Poor, poor Felicia... Corrin is so clueless sometimes...
> 
> Birthright was my inspiration for Ryoma and Takumi's adventures. They do have a battle with Nohrians en route to Izumo, and Takumi later mentions a landslide during the battle. And well, it's not too far-fetched for Leo who has mastery over gravity to have a hand in that.
> 
> In Conquest, Xander, Camilla, and Leo don't join Kamui at this time because Garon gave them a separate mission. It never goes into detail about their mission, so I took creative liberty here. (I know the main reason is just so you don't get the most powerful characters early in the game, but I'm just going to ignore that.)
> 
> I better start on the next chapter immediately so it will actually be ready on time... And as usual, thank you for reading this fic if you made it this far! :)


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